An Unlikely Pair
by turtley2005
Summary: Naraku and Kikyou make a deal that splits the shard hunters apart but when things don't go Kikyou's way things get worse, a little KagSess, but ends up KagNar with KouKagura and SanMir rated for rape and future lemon
1. CHAP 1

An Unlikely Pair  
  
*disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
Chapter 1 ~ A Mysterious Meeting  
  
The stars twinkled back at him teasingly as if they knew something he did not. The moon taunted him as if a sardonic smile was illuminated on its cratered face. Wispy clouds slowly made their way across the sky almost without notice. It was silent aside from a few crickets chirping their nocturnal songs and the breeze rustling the tall tress around his dark, silent manor. Faintly, a fragment of crystal pulsed at him menacingly, beckoning him to hold it in his hands. The chunk lay at the bottom of an enchanted pouch at his side hanging from his sash. It allowed him to manipulate its power without being manipulated himself. He was too proud, too strong a creature to fall docile to its power.  
  
In another enchanted pouch beside this one secured to the same sash, carried a dimly glowing arrowhead. It was from the same arrow that caused him enough damage to force him to flee. The arrowhead still dimly glowed with its original power as his chest still tingled even now. It had all ready been a few months, but nothing from that day had left his conscious, especially her burning eyes. They still bore through his mind.  
  
Slowly, he withdrew the arrowhead turning it around in his fingers as little shocks passed through his hands. They were not painful, but strong enough to feel. He had received the stone artifact from the woman who had shot it at him. The same woman his mind contained at the very moment.  
  
The sound of a shoji screen door scraping loudly open stole him from his thoughts. "Master, Kikyou bids me to ask for an audience." Pausing to think, he still with the arrowhead in his hand. "Go, Kagura. Tell her I will see her. Show her to the dining room. I shall take my meal as we speak." "Hai, milord." The wind sorceress turned and disappeared into the darkened hallway leaving the door open for him to walk through. A moment later, he walked into his manor of gloomy shadows, shutting the door behind him with grace.  
  
Upon his arrival to his dining room, he found his meal steaming and placed at the head of the table. Settling down on the floor with a mysteriously regal finesse, he lightly picked up his chopsticks. After clearing his throat he commanded, "Come." Within seconds, the shoji screen door across the room from the one he entered with slid open with a soft scrape. The dead miko walked in. She wore her regular miko robes, but her soul stealing demons did not hover around her like they always do. An insipid expression was on her face. It reflected in her eyes as well. The brown eyes that were once warm and shinning with the joys of life stood blank and emotionless to everyone save for children.  
  
She stood just inside of the door hesitating to walk in. "You wanted an audience with me now sit and speak of what you wish to speak. My patience is short and my attention harder to retain." Steadily, she made her way to the other end of the table and sat down almost as darkly graceful as he. In a calm, yet dull tone of voice, she complied. "I wish to make a deal with you, Naraku." He only looked back at her with a small fraction of interest in his eyes over his bowl of rice before his face.  
  
A/N: sorry I haven't updated, but I will do so as soon as I can... I only had to fix this chapter and I will be adding the next chapter soon and maybe I'll add another one... and eventually finish this?? 


	2. CHAP 2

An Unlikely Pair  
  
*disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
Chapter 2 ~ The Others  
  
"Another day in the Sengoku Jidai and another day to put up with dog boy." Sighing at the bottom of the well as she heard the tell-tale scolding and complaining from the hanyou above. "Why did it take you so long to get here? You're late!" "Inuyasha... sit." The sound of his face meeting the ground very quickly and very hard made her smile as she began to drag herself out of the well with her overstuffed yellow backpack. As she got off of the lip of the well, she stepped on his back, muffled cursing could be heard and said, "I told you, I had to take a test today! At least I'm here now. You ungrateful baka."  
  
"Kagome!" A blurry ball of rusty orange and brown connected with the young girl's arm. "I missed you too Shippou." Smiling she hugged him back as their other traveling companions entered the clearing. Kagome giggled as she just noticed that that taijiya was dragging the lecherous houshi with her as Kirara, the taijiya's battle cat, trotted behind them mewing in merriment. "I see Miroku's wandering hands have been at work today." Kagome giggled more as Sango, the taijiya, dropped Miroku on top of Inuyasha who was just beginning to get back up from his subduing spell. It made him fall back down cursing underneath the monk's dead weight. The girls, Shippou, and Kirara left the clearing laughing as they made their way to the village.  
  
"It is good to see ye child. How do ye fair?" The elderly miko asked. Kagome smiled at the elderly woman and answered, "I'm doing fine Kaeda- baba. Is there anything I can do to help you? What exactly are you doing?" "I'm making more medicine. But ye can help me by preparing lunch." "Hai." Kagome walked off with Sango while Shippou and Kirara went off to play in a nearby meadow. She sighed when she heard Inuyasha yelling not far away. Apparently he was unhappy that he was left behind with the lecherous monk. She smiled gleefully when he stopped ranting when he smelled the ramen she began to make. Inuyasha has a scary obsession with ramen.  
  
It didn't take Inuyasha long to drag everyone off onto another shard hunt after lunch. There was less complaining, but worry was etched into all of their minds. Less and less shard rumors came to them, and less and less youkai with shards came after them demanding the shards they did have. The final battle was coming, and it made everyone nervous and apprehensive. It also frustrated Inuyasha, which caused him to fight more with Kagome, which delayed the final battle even more because she would go home angry at the hard headed hanyou.  
  
A/N: sorry so short, but I will be writing the next chapter tonight and hopefully loading it as well... 


	3. CHAP 3

An Unlikely Pair  
  
*disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
Chapter 3 ~ Enemies  
  
"Look, you slave driver we need rest! Unlike you oh high and mighty Inuyasha!" She was only replied with a "Feh." She sighed exasperated. Inuyasha was being a rather big jerk the next day. "Well, you tried Lady Kagome." Miroku said next to her while putting a hand on her shoulder. Kagome, Sango, and Shippou, who had been riding on her other shoulder, gave him a flat look. Laughing nervously, he released her shoulder and slowed down to walk behind them. "Stupid hentai." Sango muttered.  
  
They continued walking until Kagome was fed up. "Whether you stop or not is up to you Inuyasha, but we humans are taking a break for lunch!" Kagome yelled all ready setting her things down to sit on the side of the road they were on. Inuyasha grudgingly came back, but not before muttering something about weak humans and then disappeared up a tree near by. Kagome ignored him and continued to prepare a lunch for the others. She even prepared a bowl for the stubborn hanyou, and continued to ignore him when he wolfed it down. Grunting, he returned to his tree. The rest continued to enjoy their lunch.  
  


* * *

  
'They're so predictable.' He thought in a tree not too far away. He stood there watching them not long before the smell of earth and bones came to him. He realized he was downwind from her as well as the group of shard collectors. Whether she knew he was there or not didn't concern him.  
  


* * *

  
Inuyasha almost fell out of the tree he was still up when a soul collecting worm demon came up to him. No one below had noticed it. He choked out her name. "Ki-Kikyou?" the worm nodded and began to fly away, but turned its head back to signal him to follow. Inuyasha stood up and followed the demon to her.  
  


* * *

  
"Too predictable." Naraku whispered. He watched as the immature hanyou met with the walking corpse of a woman named Kikyou. It was disgusting to Naraku, but he had to do what he had to do. While Inuyasha was distracted, he decided to make his presence known. Silently, still oblivious to all, he made it just behind the group that was finishing their lunch. He could feel the chunk of Shikon no Tama he had call out to the shards Kagome had. They wanted to be joined.  
  


* * *

  
Kagome felt a cold shiver down her spine. From the tense stances that her friends were taking up and the serious looks on their faces confirmed something was coming. "Kukuku." The evil laughter caused a shiver in all of them. "Once again, I've found you unprepared." His voice dripping with venom. The baboon clad Naraku appeared in the tree right above them. "It appears Inuyasha is not here. I wonder where he has gone. He seems to be more interested spending time with pottery than with living beings." He smirked under his mask when he saw Kagome's face falter for a moment before it set into an angry determination. He had hit a sore spot.  
  
"Hirakotsu!" In a blink, Sango's large bone boomerang weapon sliced the baboon pelt. "Temper, temper... I only came to make a deal." Naraku said as he stepped out from behind the tree, free from the pelt. His crimson eyes glinted darkly. Miroku warily fingered the prayer beads around his other hand. Naraku was too relaxed. "Look," he began with a sigh, "I just want the Shikon no Tama. I'm willing to make a peaceful compromise." Kagome who had been pointing a tightly drawn arrow at him the whole time, said, "Like we could trust a monster like you." Whether this angered him or not he didn't let them see.  
  
"Fine, I will let you think. To help you make your decision I'll give you a gift." With a wave of his land, he sent a gust of wind towards them. When it cleared, he was no longer standing before the tree. "Miroku! Your hand!" Shippou exclaimed. Miroku lifted his hand up to his face and fainted when he saw that there was no longer a cursed hole that sucked everything into it. The prayer beads and glove that once kept it closed lay on the forest floor beside him. Kagome and Sango just stared in disbelief. They were scared that it might be a trick. Cautiously, they approached the fallen houshi. They knelt down one on each side.  
  
"Do you think it's a trick and he's dead?" Before Kagome could answer Sango's worried question, they both felt a wandering hand on their backsides. The resounding screams of hentai, pervert, lecher, and jerk and the sounds of large slaps following them caused animals of all sizes in the forest to flee and hide elsewhere. It was a wonder Inuyasha still hadn't made an appearance after Kagome and Sango were done beating Miroku into the ground. "Do you think Naraku meant what he said?" Kagome asked as they finished putting their lunch supplies away. "I wouldn't trust him. It may be at trap." "He was acting very different, but we'll wait and see. Now where is Inuyasha?!" "Right behind you wench." The gruff voice startled all who were conscious.  
  
Kagome whirled around to yell at him, but stopped when she saw Kikyou at his side. One of her hands was clasped in his. Her face turned red and instead of yelling at him, she turned around and yelled to the heavens, "If it's going to be that way, then fine! I give up!" She started to run, trying to hide her tears from the others. She continued to run despite the pleading yells from Sango and Shippou to come back. Inuyasha had plainly made it clear that he had chosen to be with Kikyou.  
  
Naraku simply watched from a tree not too far away as the young miko ran away with tears streaming down her face.  
  


* * *

  
"Go after her Inuyasha! She could get hurt!" Shippou screamed. Before Inuyasha could reply, Sango said, "Don't expect him to do anything for Kagome when Kikyou is around." Inuyasha was about to say something to her too, but once again was interrupted. "Well, if he's not going after her, then I am. Naraku could still be out there and who knows what his real intentions are." Shippou said bounding off. "Wait Shippou we'll ride Kirara. It'll be faster." Sango said snatching him up to place on Kirara's back. Inuyasha watched them angrily as they went. "Don't worry Inuyasha. Naraku isn't a threat now that we're together. We'll kill him and complete the Shikon no Tama without her." Inuyasha thought for a moment, sighed, and nodded. They settled down to wait for them to come back to tell them the news. They still hadn't noticed the twitching Miroku without his wind tunnel just a few feet away from them.  
  
A/N: Tired, oh so tired... with a non-stop runny nose... joy for me... wait for the next chapter within the next week or so... ?? 


	4. CHAP 4

An Unlikely Pair  
  
*disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
Chapter 4 ~ Slowly Falling for the Enemy  
  
Somehow, she had managed to get pretty far. She managed to stumble a couple times without completely falling. Her tears were coming more frequently. She tried to wipe them away, but during her moment of blindness, she stumbled but fell into the arms of someone. It was a man and in her state of mind, she clung to him. Trying to find comfort in him, she buried her face into his shoulder and clutched his haori. Her tears soaked into his clothing, and she didn't know who it was, but she welcomed the comfort he seemed to be offering her.  
  
He had strong arms and what she could tell with her senses was his clothing was made of silk, his voice was calm and smooth even in a whisper, and he smelled of the forest.  
  
'Cami don't let this moment end.' He thought. 'She smells even more incredible up close.' He ran a hand stroking her head letting his fingers comb slightly through her hair. He felt the approach of Sango and decided to make an exit. He pulled her closer to himself before brushing his lips against her temple. "We'll meet again." And he disappeared before making sure she had her balance.  
  
'That voice. Could it have been him? Why?' She thought wrapping her arms around herself oddly missing the warmth. It wasn't long before she heard Sango and Shippou catch up to her. Without uttering a word, Kagome began walking back. Still clutching herself. She didn't seem to notice when Sango helped her up onto Kirara. She didn't even notice when they returned. Miroku had finally gotten up and was celebrating, but even that didn't wake Kagome from her thoughtful state of mind. She went through her actions afterwards with a distant look in her eye and without saying anything. It was beginning to creep the others (except Kikyou) out.  
  
Having enough of her strange behavior, Inuyasha approached her while the others were busy setting up camp. "Oi, Kagome. Snap out of it. You're scaring everyone." She didn't respond, but kept unpacking her sleeping bag and some ramen as well. "Hello? Earth to Kagome." Inuyasha waved a hand in her face. Getting a little frustrated and possibly concerned, he took her by the shoulder and shook her. The distant look in her eyes disappeared into a look of lost ness. "Why, Inuyasha?" She managed to whisper. "Why what?" She looked hurt. Shrugging her arms out of his grasp she said, "Leave me alone Inuyasha. You have Kikyou now." Kagome tried to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.  
  
"Kagome, wait. What are you talking about?" "Let go of me Inuyasha. I told you to leave me alone." She bitterly spat. "Fine." He grunted slightly pushing her away and went back to fawning over Kikyou (his new pottery). Kagome snorted at Inuyasha's behavior and commenced to make their dinner of ramen.  
  
Dinner went by smoother than Sango and Miroku thought it would while watching from the sidelines. Aside from the death glare Kikyou sent to Kagome and the equally venomous look Kagome sent back, there wasn't any fighting or yelling. As for the sleeping arrangements, Kagome chose to sleep on the farthest side of the clearing from Inuyasha and Kikyou while Miroku and Sango slept in between the three closer to the fire. Shippou and Kirara had passed out a while ago near Sango. Distrusting the walking corpse, Kagome allowed herself to sleep only enough to keep her going the next day.  
  
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'One day, I will be there to protect her and she will be able to sleep as comfortably as she wants at night.' He thought in a tree not far from the clearing. He had been watching over her the entire time. 'The fools. They don't even know I'm still here. But now I'll always be around so long as she is with them. What have you done to me Kagome? If only you could see how much I want and need to be with you.' Shaking his head roughly he growled at himself. 'No, I am not that dependent on her.' He sat there brooding before saying, "Yes. Yes I am." 'Because I love you more than anything else.' He finished with a thought.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome woke up earlier than usual to bathe by herself. After checking to make sure the others were still asleep, she silently crept away to a nearby hot spring (they're just conveniently everywhere nearby). There was a fog above the hot water in the crisp morning air that she could just barely see the whole pool. She undressed and quickly slipped into the soothing liquid without noticing the figure leaning against a rock on the other side.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Naraku had woken up in the tree he had been sitting in the night before. It was still a bit dark, but there was enough light for no need of fire. Stretching, he gracefully as well as silently left the tree to spy on his new interest. She was still slumbering. He decided to scout the area better, and when he spied the hot spring, he couldn't resist a quick, relaxing soak. He almost groaned when he let the relaxing waters engulfed his naked body. It sent tingles down his spine when it touched the cursed returning burn scar shaped as a spider on his back. After they went away, he settled to lean back against the rock he sat by and closed his eyes letting himself fall into a light sleep.  
  
He had awoken when he felt Kagome silently near the spring. He dare not budge from his place in fear that she would scream and alert the others of his presence, although he thought that after the day before she wouldn't do it on purpose. He decided to play it safe and sat there deathly still while she undressed and slipped into the water after he scolded himself to keep his eyes from wandering. He had seen her naked before, but not this close.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome sighed and opened her eyes. "Did he really catch me?" She asked to no one in particular, but the other heard her clearly. "Was he the one holding me so possessively, but so comfortingly to him? If he was, then why? Aren't we enemies?" She sighed again closing her eyes to the fog and steaming water. She sat there thinking for a few more minutes before a blush crept over her cheeks. "But enemies do not kiss. Not even if it was not on the lips." She thought about it longer and while she was washing her hair. The blush on her face hadn't left and at times it grew brighter than it started out as.  
  
The other spring occupant could smell the emotions rolling off of her. He could understand her confusion and anger, but when a spike of arousal came to him he almost fainted, and it took all of his control not to jump the young woman and take her in the water when she said, "I wouldn't mind kissing him other places though." She giggled and it sent a shiver down his spine. "He is cute. Maybe cuter than Inuyasha. No he isn't cute." He visibly slouched when he heard this. "He's handsome. He's no boy like Inuyasha, but a man." His slumped posture disappeared and he sat up straight while a smirk took over his face.  
  
'I wonder what he looks like... naked.' The blush on Kagome's face deepened twenty shades darker. 'Where are these thoughts coming from? Get your mind out of the gutter Kagome.' "But I can't help it. I'm 18 years old and well, he's gorgeous. Evil, but gorgeous." She sighed again and picked up her sponge and bottle of shower gel.  
  
"Can't help what may I ask?" Kagome shrieked into the hand that quickly clamped over her mouth dragging her into a body that made the blush on her face turn darkly crimson. "Now don't be doing that. We don't want any interruptions this time." Kagome relaxed, but was still embarrassingly aware of their state of dress. Feeling the tension in her body dissipate, he loosened his hold on her. Resting his head on one of her shoulders, he turned his face to hers and gently kissed her cheek before completely letting her go. Kagome quickly covered her chest while turning her head with her eyes closed.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Naraku softly chuckled. "It's all right, you can look. As for me being her, does it matter?" She cautiously peeked through one eye before opening them both completely. "Yes, it matters. For one, I was bathing and for two you almost scared me to death." He chuckled again. "What exactly is it that you find funny about this situation?" "Nothing at all my dear. Would you object if I joined you?" Kagome blush had begun to die down, but it remained when the reality of the situation completely sunk in. Naraku watched as Kagome's eyes began to wander from his face to his hair and down his chest towards his navel, but her eye quickly shot back up to his smirking face with her blush growing once again.  
  
"Please, come sit down so I may scrub your back. It's the least I could do for scaring you." Kagome hesitated, but reluctantly sat down on an underwater ledge near the edge of the spring. The water came up enough to keep the essentials below the waist hidden. She felt the water shift about her as he took a seat behind her. She watched from the corner of his eyes as he grabbed the forgotten sponge. She slightly flinched when the sponge touched her back, but then relaxed, when he started gently scrubbing her back in soothing circles. During this process, Naraku used his other hand to sweep her hair over one of her shoulders to get it out of the way. Kagome was on the verge of drifting off into sleep when his voice reached her ears again.  
  
"Are you going to answer my question?" Her brow furled with concentration trying to remember what he was talking about and when it hit her, her blush covered her entire face. She began to nervously laugh. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." "It's all right. You don't have to tell me. I see that you are embarrassed from the blush." Kagome felt like she was going to die from embarrassment. Naraku fell silent as he continued his ministrations. Kagome began to relax under his attention again and the blush began to leave her face. As he began to rinse her back off with his hands, she softly said, "I was thinking of you." "I see." There was a long pause before Kagome quickly blurted out, "Naked." The blush returned, but it was only a shade of pink this time. He chuckled. Before she could say anything else he scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, dragging her back against his side. Letting his cheek rest against the exposed shoulder her hair wasn't draped over, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Did anyone ever tell you that you smell incredible?" Kagome rested the side of her head against his. "Inuyasha once told me... but that was a long time ago. But now he has Kikyou... it doesn't matter anymore." A sad tone seeped into her voice. Naraku hugged her closer to him. Turning his chest towards her back, he let his free hand rest against her hip.  
  
Feeling her inhibitions dissolve in his embrace, she let her arms settle away from her chest and onto his. Leaning into his embrace she softly smiled. "Do you know the phrase 'keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer'?" Kagome asked. "Yes, why?" "There is a flaw in the saying." "What are you suggesting?" "There is the possibility of falling in love with the enemy." Naraku softly smiled as well. Before he could inquiry as to where the conversation was headed, they heard the voices of Sango and Shippou calling out for her. Naraku sighed, but quickly stood and exited the water grabbing his clothes and taking shelter in the forest. Kagome was too distracted trying to quickly scrub away his scent she knew clung to her before Shippou came, and just as Sango and Shippou emerged into the hot spring's clearing, she dunked herself completely underwater. Coming back up, she turned to her friends and smiled.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" Kagome asked with a smile. "We came looking for you because you disappeared. Breakfast is cooking. It's almost done." "All right. Thanks guys. I'll be there in a moment." "Ok, well, see you at camp." Sango said. Kagome nervously eyed Shippou sniffing near the edge of the spring Naraku had been sitting, but let out a silent sigh of relief when he shrugged and scampered off behind Sango after waving. Neither saw these expressions. As soon as they had disappeared, she turned around and made her way across the spring that she had seen Naraku disappear to. As soon as she reached the edge, Naraku came out wearing only his hakama. She ogled his torso for a second before letting her eyes settle on his own crimson set. Naraku walked towards her and knelt down on a knee before her. One of his hands instantly found its way to her face and he gently ran a thumb over her cheek. "I'll be watching you." She smiled warmly at him reaching a delicate hand to his own masculine face. As her hand came in contact with his face, he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips as they continued to drown in each others eyes. "We will meet again, love." He whispered against her lips. With another quick kiss, they slowly departed, and he disappeared once more into the woods.  
  
A light blush covered Kagome's face as she stepped out of the water and got dressed. She touched her fingertips to her lips as a dreamy haze filled her eyes. She stood like that for a little bit, but quickly remembered that breakfast must be ready by now. She grabbed all of her things and rushed back to camp in time to see breakfast being served.  
  
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Naraku watched Kagome silently from the trees after he had gotten dressed. "You didn't refuse me. Must you feel the same as I do you?" He softly asked.  
  
A/N: Yes, yes, I know the title says slowly falling for the enemy, and yes they are slowly falling because they have not declared those certain words to each other so it isn't official yet. And they won't be declaring those words for a few more chapters or more................................. thanks for reading!!! ^__^ 


	5. CHAP 5

**An Unlikely Pair  
**  
disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
**Chapter 5** - Kikyou's Evil Trickery  
  
"Finally. Let's go all ready. Kikyou sensed a shard to the west. We're going after it." Inuyasha ordered. Kagome quietly picked her bag up and began walking following Inuyasha and Kikyou with Sango and Shippou. Miroku brought up the rear without any complaint. They walked for at least an hour in silence and without a break. Sango would glance at Kagome from time to time. She seemed to be preoccupied by things because she paid no attention to Shippou's usual antics along the walk.  
  
"Kagome?" Sango lightly touched the other girl's arm. The fog in Kaogme's eyes dissipated and she looked at Sango. "Are you all right?"  
  
Kagome nodded. "I'm fine. Just thinking about things." She glanced ahead towards the two leading the group.  
  
"Oh. Do you need someone to talk to?" A shadow of a small smile passed Kagome's lips as she shook her head in negative. "All right."  
  
"I'm fine, Sango. You don't need to worry."  
  
"If you say so." And the trek continued for a few more hours until they stopped for lunch. Kagome managed to step away for the time being.

* * *

He watched as the shard hunters regrouped, ate breakfast, and even followed them as they silently walked towards their unknown destination. Before they stopped for lunch, Kagura had come to him without notice on her feather. She bowed her head before announcing, "Kouga is on his way towards the castle." Naraku nodded his head and flicked his wrist in dismissal. As Kagura disappeared on the horizon, the group he was following stopped not too far away for lunch.

* * *

Kagome settled herself near the stream they stopped nearby for lunch. She was humming to herself as she filled the canteen and the pot to cook lunch. The quiet rustle of silk alerted she wasn't alone. She sat motionless watching the stream trickle by. He sat down beside her and laid a large hand over hers that were folded in her lap. "Are you all right?" He wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. She was pliable under his touch and immediately relaxed against him. They sat together for a little while silently before Kagome answered him.  
  
"I've had better days, but I've never exactly felt this particular feeling you've invoked." Naraku leaned his head against hers. They both smiled. He turned his head to rub his nose into her cheek. A soft sigh escaped him. He felt his lips gently press against her cheek.  
  
"I must go soon. There are pressing matters I must attend." Kagome smiled and turned her face to look at each other. Crimson and blue met. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her nose, and she smiled.  
  
"I'll be waiting." They shared a gentle kiss before Naraku began to get up. She stood up with him. Before he could take off, she stopped him. She reached up to clasp a necklace around his neck. It settled in the dip of his neck. The silver kanji of peace glittered in the sun. Naraku smiled when he felt the light necklace settle around his neck. He reached into his robes and pulled out a light green jade beaded bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist. They shared another soft kiss, and he left in another rustle of silken robes.  
  
Kagome dreamily sighed as she slung the canteen over a shoulder and picked up the pot. Before she reached the clearing they stopped at, she heard Shippou and Inuyasha fighting. She sighed again, but tiredly this time. She settled down at the little fire that was built to make the daily ramen.  
  
Kagome grunted as she hefted her overstuffed yellow backpack onto her shoulders. They were off after the shard Kikyou sensed as soon as they finished their meal. They hadn't gone to far before Miroku fell into step with Kagome and Sango. "Kagome-sama?" "Yes?" Sango wasn't paying apt attention to the two.  
  
"I couldn't help but just notice the bracelet you are wearing. It is quite beautiful." Kagome glanced down at the bracelet and then back at the perverted monk.  
  
"Try to steal it and I'll make sure you won't be able to produce any heirs." Her eyes narrowed at him. Miroku coughed.  
  
"I am hurt Lady Kagome. You accuse me of such a thing? Must I remind you that I am a virtuous monk?"  
  
"Right." She sarcastically remarked rolling her eyes.  
  
"May I ask where you obtained such a treasure?"  
  
"Someone special gave it to me." She smiled softly.  
  
Inuyasha interrupted the little conversation. "We have farther to go. You guys should ride on Kirara so we can get there faster." Kirara's response was her blazing transformation. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippou climbed onto the large cat and were off in the air in seconds. Kikyou had climbed onto Inuyasha's back, and were traveling from tree to tree.  
  
"What is that smell?" Sango asked pinching her nose. The other passengers were doing the same.  
  
"Whatever it is, it isn't me." Shippou said atop Kirara's head. His little hands were both covering his nose in repulsion. They passed a line of trees and below them was a village. A slaughtered village. The carnage was visible from above. Kagome felt her stomach lurch. It was horrible. She had seen dead things but never in that quantity or manner of death.  
  
If their head wasn't cut off, they were missing an arm or leg or two and to top it off, everyone, and that included mean men, women, and children had their chests ripped open. On closer inspection after chasing scavenging animals and before beginning the long process of digging graves, they found the hearts to be missing.  
  
Inuyasha grumbled. "Why is it that we always have to bury the dead every time we come upon them?"  
  
Kagome frowned as she wiped away sweat from her forehead. "It is the right thing to do." She answered.  
  
"And respectful." Miroku added. "It's the least we could do for these poor people."  
  
Inuyasha continued to grumble. "What about the jewel shard?"  
  
Kagome was about to reply, but Kikyou, who was sitting in the shade of a tree not far away, interrupted, "It's not going anywhere. We'll get it." Kagome threw a questioning look at Kikyou, but remained quiet. There was about a hundred or so that needed burial. It took up much of the day and well into the night before they collapsed. There was still more, but they were just too tired. Their sleep was fitful and short.  
  
After breakfast, they worked harder to get closer to finishing before lunch. They worked and worked, but didn't finish until after dinner because of their fatigue.

* * *

He didn't want to leave her, but part of the plan was to meet the annoying wolf and gain the jewel shards he still possessed. Whether he had to take them by consent or force it did not matter to him. Naraku reached his magnificent home before it grew dark. He had spied the trademark whirlwind known as Kouga coming from the north towards his estate, but he intervened before the wolf could step any closer.  
  
"Naraku!" Kouga yelled out. Naraku sat atop a boulder watching Kouga with calculating wary eyes.  
  
"There is no need to shout. I am right here." Naraku's voice was monotone rather than condescending.  
  
"I'm going to kill you!" was the only warning he was given before Kouga lunged at him.  
  
Naraku easily dodged the angry wolf before slamming him down onto the boulder he was just sitting on. Pushing all of his weight into Kouga's back, he pinned him to the rock.  
  
"I wish to make a deal with you wolf. It would benefit you as well as it would benefit me. Which doesn't include the death of either of us." Naraku said through gritted teeth. "Stop fighting me and listen." Kouga struggled a little longer, but then relaxed. Naraku slowly eased up from him and retreated back a few steps. Kouga stood up straightening himself and cracking a few joints in his back before he looked to Naraku to continue.  
  
As soon as he knew he had Kouga's full attention, he spoke, "I wish to make an offer for the jewel shards you possess." Kouga looked at him cautiously. "I want the jewel shards and I will give you the opportunity to avenge your men and wolves."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I will give you Kagura's heart to manipulate." Kouga looked at Naraku like he just revealed he was a woman. Naraku reached into his robes and produced a glowing red globe, which was Kagura's heart. Kouga stood there shifting his gaze from the jewel fragments in his legs to Kagura's heart.  
  
"I don't know. How do I know you won't send another one of your cronies after my people?"  
  
"I only wanted the jewel shards. You were in my way of obtaining them. Once I have the jewel shards you have, I will leave you and your people alone." Kouga stood there thinking about it some more.  
  
"Fine." Kouga reached down to his legs and quickly extracted the glowing tainted pieces of the Shikon and handed it to Naraku. Naraku then placed Kagura's heart within Kouga's hands.  
  
"You may do what you wish with her now. She is of no concern to me." Naraku said disappearing.

* * *

That night while everyone was asleep, someone crept around the campsite undetected, placing magical charms and spells on the slumbering inhabitants. Even Inuyasha. Kikyou smirked wickedly as she exited the clearing and wandered deeply into the woods, her wormy companions trailing along. The night air surrounding her seemed to be frigidly cold and silent. Nocturnal creatures dared not to tread in her presence. She continued walking, but suddenly stopped.  
  
"I know you've been following us Naraku." Naraku became visible amongst the branches of a tree before her. He looked emotionlessly down at her.  
  
"I'm merely making sure that you hold up your end of the deal." Kikyou bitterly laughed.  
  
"You cannot fool me Onigumo. I know your true intentions." Naraku paused for a moment.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're still hung up over Onigumo. Need I remind you that that filth no longer plagues me?" Kikyou's biting laugh once again reached his ears.  
  
"You cannot fool me as I have said. Tell me something Naraku, does Onigumo's heart refrain you from killing me? Enough to send a mere puppet for this meeting? Or have you finally submitted to fearing me?" The eyes of the Naraku puppet flashed. It snarled and lunged to attack, but was quickly destroyed by a beam of purifying energy shot from Kikyou's hand.

* * *

The wooden doll broke in half as Naraku sat beside it thinking. Kagome occupied his thoughts. He never noticed his puppet's demise until hours very late into the night. Something was tugging at the back of his brain. Without considering the time, he quickly sped towards where he knew his love was currently sleeping. The air smelled heavily of magic. He growled in frustration to find he could not reach or find Kagome. His agonized scream echoed through the forest, but never reached the slumbering shard hunters. Reluctantly, Naraku returned to his abode to search for Kanna.

* * *

The shard hunting group was slow to rise. Kikyou was awake before them all, but in reality, she didn't go to sleep (because pottery doesn't need it). For once, Sango woke up without Miroku's wandering hands caressing her backside. Unfortunately, he woke up in time to get a grope in while she was working on making a fire. Sango's left eye began to twitch. Not only had they been working on burying the dead for the last couple days, wanted a bath, and wanted to leave, but it was just too early for it. She knocked the houshi out of the clearing and into the middle of the forest. Shippou had woken up from the commotion the two were making. Inuyasha shook his head before descending from the tree with Kikyou in his arms. After Sango had a little roaring fire going, Miroku had managed to stumble back into the clearing. Cuts, bruises, and dirt littered his being. He dusted himself off and coughed, but he went ignored.  
  
Kikyou coyly smiled at Inuyasha as she snapped her fingers. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, and Inuyasha all stiffened. Their eyes dulled over as their faces took on a blank look. Kikyou approached Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou and ordered, "There is a cave near a stream north of here, you will go there, and sleep. You will not return until morning. When you come back, you will not remember anything that transpired today." With a wave of her hand, they began walking in that direction. Kikyou turned back to Inuyasha and ran a hand down one of his cheeks. "Have fun with her Inuyasha." She disappeared behind a concealing spell into a tree with her shinadaimachu to watch the festivities begin with the flick of her wrist.  
  
Kagome woke up groaning. She felt horrible. She wasn't only stinky and dirty from all of the work, but was sore. She hadn't done that much work since she crammed for her last math test. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the sudden closeness of a certain hanyou.  
  
After noticing the absence of her friends, she asked, "Where is everyone?"  
  
"Hunting after a shard." His voice sounded gruff and laced with something malicious.  
  
"Oh, hi Inuyasha. When are they coming back? I thought we were all going to go after it after we finished with the burials."  
  
"Not for a few days. I thought it'd be better if we... split up."  
  
"Ok... well, I guess we should get to work so we can finish sooner. Maybe we'll be able to finish before they come back and we can catch up with them?" Kagome wriggled out of her sleeping bag and began walking towards the village, but soon found herself slammed and pinned against a tree. "I- Inuyasha, w-what are you doing?" He was sniffing her neck, and then licked it. She shivered, but it wasn't the good kind of shiver. "Inuyasha stop. You're scaring me." In one swift motion he brought her to the ground and placed himself between her legs. She had shrieked from the quick movements and then blushed horribly to feel a bulge pressing against her.  
  
"I've waited a long to get you alone. And now that I have, I'm not passing the chance." Her eyes widened when he ripped her panties off.  
  
"W-What about Kikyou?" But her question was left unanswered when his fingers invaded her. She tried to struggle and get away, but he was too strong.

* * *

Naraku stormed into his castle startling servants and even Kagura. Searching his castle, he finally found the little girl like demon in the kitchen. "Kanna." She turned to him in answer. "Show me what is happening to Kagome." Kanna looked down into her mirror. A soft blue light flashed before going entirely foggy.  
  
"It seems the barrier she is behind is too strong even for my mirror." Kanna stated in a monotone. Naraku growled in frustration and rushed back towards the general location he knew to find Kagome. He was once again stopped by Kikyou's barrier. Growling, he began beating against the invisible force field.  
  
He continued to do so for hours before giving up. Slightly winded and exhausted, he sat down glaring. Only few minutes had passed when he felt the barrier begin to fade. He let out another frustrated growl before racing off towards the woman he was trying to get to.

* * *

Her eyes were glassy with tears. The look on her face, and her huddled position in the stream made her look fragile and ready to be swept away even by the stream's gentle current. In mere seconds, her disposition changed and she angrily dashed her reflection away in the slow trickling water. She scrubbed away the dust and dirt collected on her face and arms. Her actions made her look savage scrubbing away at her skin.  
  
An anguished cry that emitted from her lips echoed in the trees nearby. It startled a few birds out of their arbor perches and made small mammals scurry away. The cry turned to sobs, and the water dripping from her hair down her face was finally joined by tears. Struggling to her feet, she pulled herself from the water and onto a rock directly sitting in the sun's rays. The heated stone warmed her chilled skin more than the sun itself, and she continued to cry.  
  
"Pathetic." His voice hit her straight in the heart. She held her breath afraid that someone was there to see her in such a weak moment. She lifted her head from her arms and gasped. His long wavy black hair danced in the light breeze. The sleeves of his haori flapped slightly. His piercing crimson eyes bore into her glassy sapphire ones. She trembled under his gaze and more tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes.  
  
He lifted an arm and let a hand slip out of the sleeve to bring it up to her face. She didn't flinch from his touch when he wiped away a tear. He stroked his thumb over her cheek.  
  
"What happened to you?" She cringed away from his hand and looked away.  
  
"I'm not worth touching anymore." She whispered. A frown creased his face.  
  
"What happened to you?" He asked again in a gentler tone. She shifted her eyes reluctantly to him.  
  
"He raped me." She choked out. Pain was etched into her face. Sadness and despair replaced the look. "He took my innocence, and he didn't even acknowledge what he did." She broke down into a heap of tears.  
  
Taking off his haori, he wrapped it around her nakedness and pulled her into a hug. "Tell me where he is." She almost missed the demand.  
  
"Please don't." She begged turning her eyes to his again.  
  
"He should be killed for what he has done to you."  
  
"Please just leave him be for now. Let's just leave right now. I don't want to see him again for a while. Please don't leave me alone." Anger flickered in his eyes.  
  
"I will do as you ask, but if we ever cross paths with the idiot, I will personally kill him."  
  
Kagome nodded and replaced her head on Naraku's shoulder as he transported them to his castle.

* * *

"Where is everyone?" She asked.  
  
"Hunting after a shard." His voice sounded gruff and laced with something malicious.  
  
"Oh, hi Inuyasha. When are they coming back? I thought we were all going to go after it after we finished with the burials."  
  
"Not for a few days. I thought it'd be better if we... split up."  
  
"Ok... well, I guess we should get to work so we can finish sooner. Maybe we'll be able to finish before they come back and we can catch up with them?" Kagome wriggled out of her sleeping bag and began walking towards the village, but soon found herself slammed and pinned against a tree. "I- Inuyasha, w-what are you doing?" He was sniffing her neck, and then licked it. She shivered, but it wasn't the good kind of shiver. "Inuyasha stop. You're scaring me." In one swift motion he brought her to the ground and placed himself between her legs. She had shrieked from the quick movements and then blushed horribly to feel a bulge pressing against her.  
  
"I've waited a long to get you alone. And now that I have, I'm not passing the chance." Her eyes widened when he ripped her panties off.  
  
"W-What about Kikyou?" But her question was left unanswered when his fingers invaded her. She tried to struggle and get away, but he was too strong.  
  
Eventually, Inuyasha became fed up and took off his hakama. Kagome became hysterical when she saw him exposed. She began thrashing and screaming. He slapped her a few times until she quieted, and before she knew it, he had broken her maidenhood. Sobbing, she laid limply as he defiled her body.  
  
"Why Inuyasha? Why?"  
  
"What are you talking about wench?"  
  
"Why did you rape me?"  
  
"I didn't rape you, you stupid girl. I just let your dreams come true." Kagome's tears welled up faster. "Yes you did! You raped me!"  
  
"Feh."  
  
Before she knew it, he was gone.

* * *

She whimpered in her sleep and curled into herself. The sound caught his attention. He has been watching over her as she slumbered, but at some point, his mind wandered to other things. Frowning, he scooted closer to the futon she lay on and began stroking her hair to calm her. She visibly relaxed when he touched her and uncurled form the fetal position she was in. She looked so scared and sad a moment ago, but a soft expression took over her face.  
  
A little while later her eyes fluttered open. "Where am I?" She asked yawning and stretching.  
  
"My home."  
  
"Oh." She smiled softly at the man whose back was turned to her."  
  
"How long have I been a sleep?"  
  
"A few hours." Kagome lifted herself from the silken sheets and down comforters. She was still wrapped in his outer haori. She reveled in the feel of the cool wooden floors under her feet when she approached him. She settled down beside him at a little table only big enough for one, but he handed her a cup of tea that she gladly accepted. She didn't seem to be afraid or angry anymore.  
  
"You deserve to be treated with more respect than what he has shown you." When he turned entirely towards her, she saw a gentle look in his eyes. "You're too strong and beautiful to be hurt by that filth. Or even be touched by him." He lifted a hand to stroke one of her cheeks and a rosy color filled them. "Tell me when you are feeling well. I want to show you something, but now I want you to rest and relax."  
  
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She said waving a hand in the air in dismissal.  
  
"You need to relax after such an ordeal. There is an indoor natural hot spring in the bathhouse if you wish to bathe." Kagome smiled.  
  
"That sounds nice. I must smell bad."  
  
"Quite the contrary. You smell exquisite. Well, besides what that filth has covered you with." She frowned slightly. "Do forgive me for reminding you."  
  
"It's all right. I just thought that by now it would go away." She paused with a thoughtful look on her face before continuing. "May I bathe and get new clothes. I'm sure you'd like to get your shirt back."  
  
"I do not mind, but you may feel more comfortable in something else."  
  
"This is such a beautiful place." Kagome cooed when they entered the bathhouse.  
  
"I will leave you for some privacy. I will send a servant in later with new clothes."  
  
"Thank you." He nodded his head when he exited the room.

* * *

"I see the bath helped you." Naraku stated when she met him in the hallway.

  
"Yes, it did."  
  
"You look much better in that kimono than my haori." She lightly blushed before nodding.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Come. Let us have some dinner." He offered his arm and she took it and they walked to the dinning room.  
  
There was light conversation while they ate, and as soon as they finished, he escorted her out into the garden. They walked around chatting about random things while Kagome fawned over the trees and flowers. At some point, they sat down on a stone bench under a blooming cherry blossom tree.  
  
"This is a very beautiful garden." Kagome softly smiled at him.  
  
Naraku nodded, "I thought you would like it." 'I made it for you.' He finished with a thought. 'I built this whole estate for you.'  
  
"So do you actually do things besides plotting the demise to your enemies during the day?" She asked in a playful tone.  
  
"Honestly, if I told you, I would have to kill you." She was about to reply, but saw a smirk creeping on his face.  
  
She lightly smacked his arm and asked, "Was that a joke?"  
  
"Of course. I no longer feel the need to kill you."  
  
"Why did you before?"  
  
He looked at her with a mixture of emotions she couldn't recognize. He let out a little sigh and said while taking up her hands in his, "I thought I hated you and denied what I really felt. I tried pushing it aside with the need to complete the Shikon and since you were in my way, I would just get rid of you, but I never could."  
  
While he was answering he slowly lowered his face to hers and brushed a gentle kiss across her cheek leaving a rosy hue as a blush crept into her face.  
  
"Naraku? Why?" She whispered softly. Naraku was about to answer with a real kiss, but were disappointingly interrupted by a servant.  
  
"My lord, your presence is needed in the Great Hall."  
  
With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed the servant before turning to Kagome. "I may be stuck in there for quite some time. I will walk you back to a room you may sleep in and bid you goodnight." They walked silently back into his giant home, through its corridors and stairways. Although lacking in conversation, it was pleasant for both. They came upon a shoji screen door Kagome recognized from earlier that day.  
  
"This is my room, but you are welcome to sleep in my bed. If you are uncomfortable with that arrangement, I will have a servant make a room for you next to mine."  
  
"Oh no. That will be fine. I don't want to be a bother."  
  
"If that is what you desire, then good night... Kagome." He tilted her face up from her chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips.  
  
A little smile took over her lips as she stared back into his eyes. "Good night, Naraku."

* * *

"Where is she?" Shippou screeched at Inuyasha.  
  
"I don't know runt. I don't care either." He snapped.  
  
"What did you say to her now?" Sango asked through clenched teeth. A vein was throbbing in her forehead and one hand was gripping Hirakotsu. Miroku and Shippou saw the oncoming explosion and began inching away.  
  
"I didn't say anything to her." He continued without noticing Sango's temper was beginning to flare. "I'm not her babysitter. It's better if the bitch stays out of the way so I don't have to keep saving her weak ass. Kikyou is here now so it doesn't matter."  
  
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!  
  
After cracking him on the head with Hirakotsu the third time, Miroku decided to intervene seeing as Inuyasha was out cold after the first hit.  
  
"Whoa! Stop! You're going to kill him!" Miroku yelled as he wrestled her weapon out of her hands. He pulled her into a tight hug and she broke down into angry sobs.  
  
"What if she is dead? What if she's hurt and can't get to us? What if we never see her again?" She clutched onto Miroku risking being groped for a moment of comfort.  
  
"We'll find her. Don't worry Sango." Shippou said on the ground patting her leg. Sango pushed away from Miroku wiping her face clean of tears and sadly smiled.  
  
"You're right. Let's wait for the baka to wake up before we rush off to look for her."  
  
"Yes, that would be wise. Let us eat breakfast now." They left Inuyasha where he was.  
  
"Houshi, I swear, if anything or anyone has hurt her, I will destroy whatever it is that has caused her pain." She threw a burning glare at the pile of unconscious hanyou before turning back to the ramen before her.  
  
"I agree with you, but if Inuyasha was the cause I would leave Kagome to deal him his punishment." 

* * *

Kagome awoke to the smell of tea the next morning.  
  
"Good morning." She cheerfully chirped to Naraku's back who was sitting at the little table again with tea.  
  
"Morning." He replied. "There is a new kimono for you." He nodded his head towards a corner that was to his back where changing screens stood.  
  
Kagome slowly emerged from behind the screens to join him once again for some tea. While they were drinking the warm, soothing beverage, Kagome took a better look around the room now that it was filled with daylight. It was sparsely furnished. His futon rested in the middle of the room and the little table sat off to its right when you walked in. Off in a corner there was a set of screens for changing where she had changed. There was another table under the room's only window, and when she squinted, she saw a forgotten broken doll of his demon puppetry lying on it.  
  
The room was relaxing to her more than anything. Being former enemies, she would think his room would be nothing like what it was.  
  
"Are you hungry?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts. She nodded while setting her cup down on the tray on the little table. "It should be ready soon." Kagome smiled at him before standing up to smooth out any wrinkles she may have put into the new beautiful peach colored kimono he had given her to wear.  
  
Breakfast had passed by much like dinner had the night before. Except instead of going off to the garden, he showed her around the castle. It wasn't as dark and dreary as Kagome had imagined, but it wasn't exactly inviting either. In actuality, it was plain, but well kept. Against popular belief, he had a handful of servants as well.  
  
Before they knew it, Lunch was being announced.  
  
"So who does the cooking around here?" Kagome asked in the middle of their meal.  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Kanna." Kagome looked at him in a funny way.  
  
"Are you serious?" Naraku nodded in affirmative.  
  
"Wow. I never thought someone like Kanna would be capable of such a thing." Naraku shrugged.  
  
"I didn't know about it either for a while until I actually went into the kitchen." To his surprise, sort of, Kagome began to giggle.  
  
'She looks so beautiful when she's happy.' He watched her contentedly, momentarily forgetting about the food in front of him.  
  
The moment was interrupted however, when a servant came bursting into the dinning room huffing and puffing. "I am sorry to interrupt my lord, but Inuyasha has reached the outer barrier and is on the verge of breaking through."

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update... after I get a "brilliant" idea for a story, I can't put it into words as well as I can come up with more "brilliant" ideas... so hope you liked... 


	6. CHAP 6

**An Unlikely Pair  
**  
disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama  
  
**Chapter 6** - An Unexpected and Unwanted Confrontation

Inuyasha recovered within a few hours from the beating Sango gave him, but with a splitting headache. The others were busy starting lunch. He growled remembering what had happened. A shinidamachuu came flying to him. Others were flying overhead towards the line of trees behind him. He got to his feet and was immediately greeted by Kikyou.

"Have you finally chosen to come with me to hell? That girl is nowhere near." Her cold voice slightly grated on his ears.

"Just because she is missing does not mean I have chosen between you two."

"That does not matter. No matter whom you choose. It is me that you belong to. Or have you all ready forgotten your promise to me?" Inuyasha sighed.

"Of course not. You know that."

"Good. We must destroy Naraku before he can succeed in completing the Shikon no Tama. I know where he is hiding."

Inuyasha thought about it for a moment. "I don't think Sango and Miroku are going to help us."

"Whether they aid us does not matter. Their thirst to gain revenge against him will make them come anyway."

"All right. I will talk to them and then we will go."

"I will wait here by this tree." She said and settled down by the tree.

It was half an hour before Sango and Miroku reluctantly joined Inuyasha and Kikyou on the hunt. They left Shippou with Kaeda on the way. It would be a few more hours before they'd even reach the barrier to his abode.

* * *

As soon as Inuyasha's name was mentioned, Kagome's eyes filled with fear and anger. Naraku noticed this from the corner of his eye. He nodded, the servant bowed, and scurried away. He turned back to Kagome. "You can stay safely in my castle. You don't have to face him yet. I will get rid of him, but he will come back."

"No, I will come with you, but they will not see me. I'll wait to the side." He nodded again.

"In that case, I will have one of my trusted servants watch over you in case of danger. Come... let us meet them."

Naraku donned his pelt after sliding one of his katanas into his sash. He equipped Kagome with her own bow and arrows just in case. He also outfitted her in a form fitting black fighting outfit for mobility and a cloak for stealth. It wasn't long before Naraku summoned an army to march against Inuyasha.

Kagome hid herself amongst trees near the left flank and watched as Naraku waited with his hidden army for Inuyasha to break the barrier. It didn't take much longer.

"Naraku!" Inuyasha roared as he came within the field Naraku and his army waited. Sango and Miroku came not shortly after. Kagome scowled when she spied Kikyou climb off of Inuyasha's back from beneath his hair. She glared at them forgetting momentarily of the recent incident between her and Inuyasha.

With a flick of his wrist, Naraku sent his hordes of demons to attack his enemy before any words could be exchanged. He knew Inuyasha would charge straight for him, and quickly dodged the mighty swing of Tetsuiga. Before Inuyasha could swing again, he had to avoid the swing of Naraku's own katana.

The army of demons was slain as predicted. Sango had been injured the worst and Miroku was letting her lean on him. Kikyou stood behind Inuyasha with a bow in hand. Kagome still hid amongst the trees with Matsu, Naraku's servant. Naraku and Inuyasha were facing off. Kagome could see them talking and immediately knew Inuyasha was stalling to find the wind scar.

"Just let me kill you. It'd benefit to us all." Inuyasha spat.

"Pray tell what I would benefit from letting you kill me?"

"I'll kill you quickly and mercifully instead of torturing you and letting anyone you've hurt take a shot at you." Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"I think not."

"Too late Naraku." Inuyasha lunged to swing Tetsuiga down hard, but when the blast of the Kaze no Kizu receded, Naraku stood untouched. Everyone stood shocked because planted in the ground before him was an arrow still sparkling with purifying power.

Inuyasha stared at the arrow with a gaping mouth. 'That's Kagome's arrow.' Kikyou stepped up to his side with an arrow drawn back with her bow towards trees from their right. She had seen the arrow coming before Inuyasha unleashed the Kaze no Kizu.

"Come out of the trees you coward." Kikyou said loudly for all to hear. She sensed Naraku begin to tense.

"Lady Kagome. Please do not endanger your life." Matsu pleaded.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Naraku-sama will protect me if he has to. Besides, Kikyou is the only one who would intentionally hurt me. Thank you, but now your services are no longer needed."

"Hai, my lady. Stay safe. But just in case I will stay and watch and interfere if need be." Kagome nodded and began to make her way out of the trees. But she spun around in time to watch as Matsu disintegrated into dust from the arrow that pierced his chest. She uncharacteristically growled and turned back again to face her old enemy.

"Why'd you do that?!" Inuyasha yelled after he watched Kikyou's arrow sped into the trees.

"I didn't hit her." Kikyou stated taking out another arrow to notch. She pulled it back slightly as a cloaked figure stepped out of the line of trees. She remained hidden in the shadow of her hood, but to the confused, they recognized her as a female from the clothes she wore. Kikyou kept her arrow aimed at her as she made her way beside Naraku.

"Does it make you feel better to kill without cause?" An angry, but familiar voice floated icily towards Kikyou from beneath the hood.

"I did have a cause. Protection. I am a miko. It is my duty to slay demons." Kagome narrowed her eyes.

"That's a poor excuse." Inuyasha was growling the entire time.

"What are you doing with this monster, Kagome? Have you forgotten what he has done? To all of us?" Kagome began to laugh. It was cynical and biting.

"A monster?" She pulled down her hood and everyone stared shocked again as the cold face of Kikyou reflected from her face. "He's no more of a monster than you Inuyasha. Or have you forgotten how you raped me?" Kikyou stood staring at the younger woman. The hold she had on her bow and arrow began to loosen, but she still held it aimed at Kagome.

"He may have caused pain and suffering, but to me, he has treated me as a person. I regret even becoming involved with the Shikon. Even if it is my destiny. I will finish this journey with or without my friends because I will hurt them by betraying them and placing my trust and loyalty in their enemy. To Naraku. I am sorry for that in particular, but I am not sorry to say that you're a bigger monster than Naraku and Sesshomaru put together. I hate you and despise you more than anything else in this world." She ended with a hiss. Inuyasha growled angrily, but his drooping ears told otherwise.

Kagome turned her eyes to her friends and her eyes softened immensely. A sorrowful look overcame her face as she bowed her head. "I am sorry." She did not lift her head for the others to see tears forming in her eyes and allowed her bangs to hide them. She grasped onto the hand Naraku slipped into hers tightly as they lifted off the ground and disappeared.

Inuyasha was about to chase after, but a new barrier was erected. A combination of Naraku and Kagome's power coursed through it keeping all out. His vicious attacks couldn't break it, but he continued to try until he was exhausted. Kikyou had long ago dropped her bow and put it aside. She said nothing more, but walked away with the others.

* * *

Naraku brushed away the tears that managed to escape Kagome's eyes.

"Why?" He asked softly.

"Because you've saved me from myself." Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him and sobbed. He just wrapped an arm around her waist and rubbed her back with the other.

"I shouldn't have let you come." Kagome shook her head.

"No, if I hadn't have come. You might have been killed, and I don't want you to die any time soon." She choked out the last few words through sobs.

"I will not die any time soon." He nuzzled his face into her hair. "I will not die now that I have you - as a friend." He quickly added covering up the real meaning of what he was saying. Kagome's sobs ended as he landed and helped her back into the manor.

"A nap would be nice. May I sleep in your bed?" Naraku nodded and walked with her letting her lean on him tiredly. He managed to tuck her in after removing her cloak and weapon. "Stay with me?" She asked pulling him down onto the futon next to her. He lay down atop the covers beside her and she snuggled into his side under the silken blankets. He smiled when she fell asleep. A little smile graced her face when she wrapped an arm across his shoulders and nuzzled her face into his neck. A light blush colored his cheeks, but he settled into the unconscious embrace and fell asleep too.

* * *

Sango was silently crying as Kaeda wrapped her sprained wrist and cleaned numerous cuts and scrapes. Miroku had a few bandages of his own while Inuyasha was healed all ready. He brooded in a corner with Kikyou sitting near by. "She's helping Naraku! Why?!" Sango suddenly wailed. Shippou and Kirara were sleeping near the fire. They slept through Sango's anguished cry.

After a while of her sobbing, Inuyasha finally barked, "Stop crying! She left us! Oh fucking well!" Sango just wailed louder. Kikyou remained quiet. Miroku's right eye was twitching. Kirara and Shippou were beginning to wake. "Shut up all ready!" Sango stood up and left the hut still crying. Miroku's eye twitched more.

"It's your fault she left! You have no morals! No wonder she called you a monster! Don't take your idiocy out on Sango!" With a mighty crack, Miroku bashed him over the head with his staff rendering him unconscious, and he left to find Sango. Kaeda shook her head sadly.

While Inuyasha was out cold, Kikyou chose to talk to Kaeda about Kagome.

"Kaeda, I want to speak to you about... Kagome." Kikyou said settling down before her. Kaeda sighed as she put away the extra bandages and ointments.

"What is it ye want to know, sister?" Kaeda slowly asked.

(A conversation later...)

"She had said that Inuyasha raped her." Kikyou said.

"I assume that is why she left to aid Naraku." A worried and troubled look crossed Kaeda's face. "It is not only that. That just pushed her to make the decision I'm afraid." Kikyou nodded, but spoke no further.

"So that's what's going on. Poor Kagome." Shippou said to Kirara outside. They had went outside and listened to the conversation. "I should chew Inuyasha's ears right off." Kirara mewed in agreement. "I hope she's doing ok. I don't know what I'd do without her."

* * *

Kagome blushed heavily when she woke up spooned against Naraku. Oddly, she enjoyed the position she was in and relaxed. She didn't know when she had awakened, he had too. "Do you feel better?" He quietly asked. His voice startled her.

"Some what." She answered after a moment. "It still hurts... that he would do such a thing to me. I've never seen him act that way before. He's not like the type of person to do such a thing. But I guess I was wrong." The pain growing in the tone of her voice. "I don't understand why he would hurt me like that." Sobs began to leak out of her and she curled up into a fetal position. Naraku wrapped his arms tighter around her as she cried.

He made soft shushing noises and stroked her hair. "It is all right, love. I won't let him hurt you again. Please stop crying love. It hurts me to see you this way." He softly whispered to her. Her crying continued, but the sobbing stopped. She sniffled a few times.

"It hurts so much. What he did to me won't leave my mind. All I can see in my head are his eyes. They looked so hateful and almost empty. Like he wasn't all there."

"Don't think of him right now, love. It'll only upset you more."

"He promised he'd protect me. He also promised he'd protect Kikyou and go to hell with her... He's not very good at keeping promises."

"Unlike that baka hanyou, I will keep my promise Kagome. I swear I will protect you with my life. Especially from him and that corpse."

Kagome uncurled from her fetal position and turned to face him. "Thank you." A small smile formed on her lips as she brushed her hand over his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her palm.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"A little."

"Would you like to bathe before you eat? Maybe you'll be hungrier and more relaxed afterwards." He suggested. Her smile grew.

"That's a wonderful idea."

Naraku got off the futon first and helped Kagome up along the way. As Kagome exited the room and began walking down the hall, Naraku left the room as well to go the other way. After taking a few steps, Kagome turned around.

"Naraku?" He turned back around and blinked at her in answer. A little blush played across her cheeks. "Would you like to join me?" She quietly asked. He didn't answer her immediately, and she began to fidget. A small smile exploded on his face as he noticed how uncomfortable she was. He began to walk to her in answer and took up one of her hands.

"Of course I would."

They reached the door to the bathing room in no time. Being a gentleman, Naraku opened the door for Kagome and let her enter before him. He paused a moment before entering. 'This may be one of the few times I thank you Cami.' He entered the room before sliding the shoji screen door shut, but never looked to see Kagome undressing. When he turned around, he saw her wriggling the black fighting outfit he had given her down her hips and onto the floor. His mouth almost dropped open when she turned to get into the hot spring. When the water had reached her waist, she turned her head to speak to him over her shoulder.

"Well, are you going to join me?" He saw a new, brighter blush on her face. She saw movements in the corner of her eye and heard the rustle of silken material sliding against his skin. She turned her head back to face forward as she walked deeper into the warm water. The blush was beginning to disappear. She heard the water ripple as he stepped into the pool. The ripples began to grow as he made his way to her. Eventually she felt them reaching her and then she felt his hands gently lay on her hips as he drew nearer. He laid his head onto her right shoulder, careful to keep everything below his waist away from hers as to not frighten her.

"Would you like me to scrub your back again?" He asked after kissing her cheek. He heard a little giggle escape her.

"Of course I would." She turned around to face him. He forced himself to keep his eyes from wandering downwards as she did. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. "But can I wash your hair first?" He didn't expect her to ask such a thing. He smiled down at her and kissed her nose.

"You may do as you wish, Kagome." He answered with a twinkle in his eye. She blushed at the look he gave her.

* * *

Sango ran until she collapsed near the Goshinboku tree crying. Her crying began to taper off and ceased when she heard the familiar jingle of rings on Miroku's staff. She hugged her knees to her chest with her back against the mighty tree's roots. She sniffled when he settled down beside her on the forest floor. They sat there in silence aside from the natural sounds of the forest in the evening.

The silence continued for a while. Sango sniffled a few times.

Miroku cleared his throat before beginning, "Sango..." but was interrupted by Sango.

"Why'd that baka have to ruin everything? First he lets Kikyou join us without talking to us first, and then he goes and does something as horrible as to rape Kagome. It doesn't make sense, but why is he being so stupid?"

Miroku opened his mouth to answer, but then nothing left his mouth as her words hit him. He sat thinking for a moment with his mouth still hanging open.

"Did you notice that something was off this morning?" Miroku finally asked. Sango looked at him.

"Now that you mention it... we woke up in a different place. Like we were moved while we were sleeping or something."

"Yes, it was quite strange, but I hadn't really thought about it until now. We were so caught up in Kagome's disappearance that we hadn't noticed it. We were also much closer to Kaeda's village. After traveling on foot and then picking up the pace, we would have been much farther away."

They sat there digesting it all. "When do you think Inuyasha did that to Kagome? We were with her the entire time. Weren't we? One of us would have noticed if either of them had left." Sango questioned. Miroku had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Something must have happened. Whatever it is I can't figure it out."

"I bet Kikyou is somehow involved with it all." Sango hissed.

"How do you figure?"

"Call it women's intuition."

Their conversation was interrupted when Kirara came bounding into the clearing with Shippou.

"Why didn't anyone tell me what was going on?!" Shippou demanded as he stood before the two with his arms crossed over his chest. "When and if Kagome gets hurt I have the right to know too!" Then he proceeded to glare.

"How much do you know?" Sango asked.

"Everything... and I had to hear it from Kikyou."

"It wasn't that simple, Shippou." Miroku began.

"Just because I look like a little kid doesn't mean I don't know how serious this is. I'm not dumb."

"Yes, Shippou, but we had also learned about it not that long ago. It isn't easy for us to explain that something like it happened to Kagome." Miroku continued.

"Although, it isn't hard to explain to Shippou that Inuyasha has hurt her... again."

"However, this is much more severe than what he's ever done to her."

"Is Kagome ever going to come back?" Shippou asked as tears welled up in his eyes.

"We don't know Shippou. We don't know..." Sango answered. She slid her legs out from their bent position and crossed them to let Shippou into her lap. She wrapped her arms around him as he sobbed into her chest. Patting his back, she looked to Miroku.

"What are we going to do?" Miroku looked back at her.

"I don't know yet, but whether we stay with Inuyasha and Kikyou is another question."

"I really don't want to be near either one of them, but I don't think we're going to find any answers if we split up." Sango sighed tiredly. Miroku patted her shoulder before standing up. Sango sighed again as soon as he disappeared into the trees. Kirara mewed at her, and in return got a scratch on the head. "Let's go back Kirara."

When all of them returned, they found Kaeda sleeping in her usual place, but Kikyou and Inuyasha were nowhere in sight. Not thinking much of it, or rather not caring, they settled down for the night to get some sleep of their own.

* * *

When Inuyasha had come back to reality, he grumbled something incoherently and left the hut. Kikyou and Kaeda had been watching him the entire time. Kaeda went back to putting things away, and Kikyou followed after him. When she stepped out of the hut, she found him standing not too far away gazing at the sky that was beginning to darken.

"I don't remember doing it." He softly said as Kikyou neared him. She stood to his right. "I would never do such a thing to her. She's my friend..." He trailed off.

"She _was_ your friend Inuyasha. She left you to fight beside Naraku and will most likely help him complete the jewel." Kikyou said.

Inuyasha heavily sighed. "I need time alone." He mumbled and dashed away into the forest. Kikyou frowned at his retreating back. Things were not going as she had thought it would. Inuyasha wasn't falling into her arms and racing off by her side to destroy Naraku. It wasn't only Inuyasha, but Naraku's behavior as well. The way Kagome and Naraku interacted with each other when they had set out on their attack was nothing like that of enemies, but possibly lovers. Kikyou's frown disappeared into her usual cold mask as she walked away in the opposite direction as Inuyasha.

* * *

Not far away, frozen amber flashed in the darkness of shadows. The gentle nocturnal breeze playfully lifted and pushed strands of his silvery locks into his face. Lifting an elegant, yet deadly clawed hand up, he pushed the wild strands back into place with the rest of his ghostly mane. If he were more open to visually expressing his feelings, he would have rolled his eyes. After what he had observed for the last two days, he concluded that Inuyasha wasn't as smart as he gave him credit for.

Inuyasha's confusion and feelings were distracting him from the obvious. From all of the different scents he smelled at the slaughtered village and day old camp near his eastern border, magic was being heavily used and Naraku and the dead miko were involved. The scent of the dead miko's magic still clung to all of them, but none have noticed. They were all incompetent.

A blur was left of the expressionless creature as he darted away. Only the echoed whisper of rustling silk was left in Sesshomaru's path.

* * *

"Jaken, where did Sesshomaru-sama go?" A little girl asked the ugly impish toad like demon riding beside her on a two-headed dragon.

"That is none of your concern, Rin. Lord Sesshomaru-sama has more important agendas to attend to than to watch a little brat like you." The ugly youkai replied.

"I'm going to tell Sesshomaru-sama on you Jaken. You haven't been very nice to me and taking care of me like he told you to." A crack was heard as Jaken whacked Rin on the head with his staff.

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama will not care for your stupid human child prattle." Before either of them knew it, Ah-Uhn, the two-headed dragon, pushed Jaken off and let him plummet to the ground below. Rin giggled.

"You shouldn't have done that, but mean old Jaken deserved it." Rin giggled some more as the dragon continued on their journey to the Western Keep.

* * *

A/N: I was being really lazy over the summer and enjoying sleepy time so sorry it took so long to update... I'm having a bit of writer's block as well, so this chapter is a little shorter than the last... it might be a while before I update again so I apologize now for the long waits


	7. CHAP 7

An Unlikely Pair

disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama

Chapter 7 - In a Night

The rhythmic sounds of slumbering breaths mixed with snores reached his ears as he sat atop his soft bed of straw and furs. He was the only one awake in the cave. A glowing red orb was resting in his palm. It had been a couple days since it first came into his possession and he never really looked at it since. No one else knew he had it. Now he was blankly staring at it while numerous thoughts filtered through his head.

'This is her heart. That damn wind witch that slaughtered by brothers.' His eyes narrowed into slits as his hand began to close over it; squeezing it. A sadistic smiled crossed Kouga's face as he imagined what pain she must feel as he added a little more pressure.

'I can just see her sitting up from her bed woken from her dreams crying out and clutching her chest. She probably doesn't even know it's me doing it.' But as he continued to think, the more frightened he became of the malicious thoughts in his mind gradually releasing Kagura's hear to let it slip into his lap.

'She has murdered, but what am I doing? This is not an honorable way to avenge my fallen brothers.' Disgusted with himself, he put Kagura's heart back where he had hidden it the last couple days using more care in handling it than he noticed.

* * *

A gruff, but gentle voice to the owner of the hands wrapped protectively and lovingly around her waist murmured, "I love you." She couldn't see all of this mystery man's face, but could clearly see he was leaning down to her for a kiss.

* * *

"Ahhh!" She screamed clutching her chest. She gasped out choking breaths. "Ahhhh!" she screamed again. "What is that… bastard… doing?" She bit out in pain. Tears began to form in her eyes as she felt the pressure being placed on her heart was not loosening. Her eyes widened in a moment of hysteria that he may have decided to be rid of her. "No!" She bit out.

Forcing herself out of her bed, she stumbled towards the door. Using all of her strength, she dragged herself towards Naraku's chambers collapsing before the door from the exhausting strain. She lay there panting in the hallway. Suddenly, she felt the pressure begin to loosen. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared up at the ceiling gasping for air. The pain finally went away and she stopped crying to catch her breath.

While she tried to stand up, the door to his room slide almost silently open to reveal Naraku in only a hakama and Kagome peering sleepily over one of his shoulders in a light gray yukata.

Kagura's eyes widened for a moment. "Is there something you needed master?" Kagura hoarsely asked.

For a moment, Naraku looked confused, but then answered, "I think you should be asking Kouga that and not me."

A terrified look crossed her eyes before fear settled somewhere within them.

"Did you?" She asked in merely a whisper.

"Yes." He answered emotionlessly. A strangled cry of despair escaped her before she took off in a run. She was headed to see the wolf prince.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked rubbing an eye. "What about Kouga? Is Kagura all right?"

"Kagura will be fine unless Kouga decides otherwise." She gave him a questioning look, but he said nothing more about it, shut the door, and led her back to the futon where they went back to sleep.

* * *

He stood on a cliff that rose high above the large estate below to the north. He had settled there after coming upon the strong barrier surrounding the large structure.

"Interesting." He said upon discovering it.

He watched idly while pondering about certain current events.

The dead miko was with his brother while the other miko was with Naraku at the moment. On that note, he had not heard of any disturbances of late from the despised hanyou or his "children". But something was going on that even this taiyoukai could not ignore. An entire village in his lands that was moderately big and prosperous, had been slaughtered and his whelp of a half-brother and his group had been there. Magic could be smelt and felt everywhere they had been near the dead village. They were his people even though they were human. What killed them was still unknown.

His thoughts were momentarily interrupted when he glimpsed a dot of white begin to float by below him towards the northern mountains. It was Kagura.

'Where is she off to?' He wondered adding more to the mysteries he was all ready looking for answer to. He didn't follow her.

* * *

The moon shone down at him, but it seemed less lustrous than it usually did to him. He felt so confused, but a growth of dread began to knead at the pit of his stomach. For some reason, he felt that the accusations were true. He had raped her, but could not remember anything. He cried out in frustration, but it ended in despair.

He closed his eyes and rubbed them with the heel of his palms and whimpered. "What did I do? Why would I do it?" He hoarsely whispered to himself. His shoulders shuddered. "I _am_ a monster. I never treat Kagome right all the time. And now… I did _that_!" Tears began to blind him. Getting up he began to run.

At first he dodged the branches and twigs and bushes, but began to tire and did not notice the forest pull and scratch at him. He continued to run until he ran straight off a cliff. Not completely caring where he landed, he closed his eyes and let himself fall head first… into a lake. Letting himself sink to the bottom, he laid there for a moment before pushing off to swim to the surface.

Gasping for air he tread for a moment before stretching himself out to float on the reflective lake. He stared unseeingly to the sky. 'Have I become such a jerk?' He thought. 'Have I really done something as horrible as that to her? What is going on?' He sighed closing his eyes. Continuing to float on the lake, he tried to push everything out of his head as he cried some more.

* * *

He had not fallen asleep as quickly as she did after Kagura's disruption. He watched her sleep snuggled on his arm against his chest. Her mouth was slightly opened. Lightly tracing the curve of her cheek with his fingers, he sighed.

'Kikyou had said she'd give me the Shikon if I get rid of you so she could take Inuyasha with her to hell, but I did not know how she intended to keep her end of the deal to hand you to me. I'm so sorry, Kagome.' He wrapped an arm around her to draw her even closer to him. 'If that mutt ever touches you again, I'll kill him, but I'll take Kikyou out first. No one will every hurt you again. I'll make sure of it.' He growled at the thought of someone causing her pain and as if she sensed his distress, she snuggled deeper into his embrace silencing the gruff noise he was making to squeeze her a little more tightly.

* * *

As she walked through the forest, glowing white orbs were being delivered to her by her wormy demons. It seemed that any little nocturnal creatures she came across would run away in fright from her. She frowned. Nothing seemed to go as she thought it would.

Naraku was supposed to dispose of that little girl. Instead he fell in love with her. If she were out of the way, she and Inuyasha would have gone to hell together all ready.

"I suppose I have to get rid of them together at the same time. It should be easier when they are. They'll be too busy to notice when I will strike. Those ignorant fools. The only thing love does is make you oblivious to everything else in the world because you're too distracted to notice anything else.

* * *

The fast pace she had begun with slowed down immensely as she drew nearer to the mountains. She began to feel nervous and dare she admit, afraid? She clutched at her feather a little more tightly as she began to descent to the ground. She didn't want to cause a huge commotion or be attacked without seeing Kouga first she se settled down into a tree near the guard post near the most direct approach to the caves.

At first she thought they were actually watching for any possibly danger or threat to come their way, but almost fell out of the tree when the two wolf youkai and a few wolves began to snore simultaneously.

Taking back to the air, she silently drifted high overhead them and landed again, but this time right in front of the main cave.

Letting her eyes adjust to the darkness of the cave, she cautiously entered. More snoring met her ears. Trying to quietly, but as quickly as she could, she scurried passed and around many slumbering youkai and wolves. Letting a slight breath of relief upon reaching Kouga's sleeping nest, she knelt down beside him. He was deeply asleep. Clutching her fan in one hand in case anyone or even he awoke, she watched him sleep unsure of what to do next.

Frowning, she cursed Naraku. 'I didn't want to kill all of those people and animals. That bastard would have killed me if I had not followed his orders.' Her thoughts quieted for a moment. "Did my own life equal to the value of the lives he had destroyed?" She frowned as she continued to watch him sleep. Her eyes settled unseeingly onto his face as a frown creased her lips. "Could you blame me for yearning for freedom? My life has no value. I've been passed on to you like a used thing." Her voice cracked. A sob fought to erupt from her throat, but she quickly buried her face into her hands the bedding to stifle the sound.

Slowly, tears began to trickle down her face. 'My life will never truly be my own.' She despairingly thought continuing to cry.

His nose twitched as the faint smell of salt invaded him in his sleep. Gradually waking, he stretched out his arms and legs before shifting to turn onto his left. His eyes remained closed during the process until his front softly collided with another body. Startled, his eyes snapped open to find Kagura hunched over with her face in his bedding. Her body tensed the moment they made contact.

There was a spike of fear and despair in her scent as they continued to lay there.

"What are you doing here?" Kouga whispered. He saw her huddle deeper into herself and his bed. "Get off my bed." He flatly commanded. "I don't want it to be stinking like Naraku."

A pained look crossed her face, but he didn't see it because her face remained hidden from him. "I said get off my bed." He repeated.

She sighed in defeat and turned her face towards him. "You know why I'm here." She croaked out. Here eyes were red and puffy, but the look in them was nothing he had ever seen in them. He saw sorrowful defeat.

They continued to stare at each other for a while before Kouga opened his mouth to say something.

"Just kill me." She interrupted him. "Please." She brokenly pleaded. Kouga closed his mouth and studied her as tears began to form in her eyes again. "My life is worth nothing. I'm not a person. I'm a thing. What point is there for a thing to live?" The tears began to flow more frequently. "I know you want to see me die. I know you still want revenge." The irritated look he had been giving her shifted into a tired expression. "Please." His face returned to its irritated mask, and she turned her head back into her hands and his bedding waiting for her death.

He watched her cry in quiet broken fits. He sat up and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Stop that." It seems Kouga can't stand women crying either even though Kagura is his enemy. "I said stop it all right. Just stop crying like a baby. I'm not going to kill you. Where's the honor in killing your enemy by destroying their heart that's not even in their body? I'm not Naraku you know." He finished defensively.

Kagura stopped crying, but didn't move. They stayed that way for a long time. At some point Kouga had fallen asleep sitting up leaning against a cave wall. Kagura had relaxed from her hunched position and let herself spread out to lay comfortable on her stomach. She watched him sleep for a little while before drifting off to sleep herself. All of the traveling, thinking, and crying had exhausted her.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update and this chapter is short. When I get writer's block… it takes a long while to become unblocked. Hopefully, I will have another chapter up this week. And try to stop making so many breaks.


	8. CHAP 8

An Unlikely Pair

**disclaimer**: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama

Chapter 8 -Aftermath

A few days later, Kikyou had announced she sensed a jewel shard faintly in the west. Inuyasha nodded, but said nothing more. He wasn't acting like the Inuyasha everyone knew. He has remained silent and reserved since that morning after they learned about Kagome's rape.

"We've decided not to travel with you anymore." Miroku steadily said looking straight at Inuyasha. An irritated look crossed his face before he frowned. Inuyasha nodded in acceptance and stood.

"Let's go Kikyou."

Sango turned to Miroku, "Do you think we should have left them alone?"

"Inuyasha chose Kikyou. Let him deal with his choice by himself."

"I don't think he really thought through all of the consequences of choosing between Kikyou and Kagome." Shippou said sitting between them.

"You have a good point, Shippou." Miroku said.

"Kirara?" Sango called to the little cat demon who had been sleeping nearby the entire time. Her eyelids fluidly slid up before she lifted her head with a mew. "Will you follow Inuyasha and Kikyou?" Nodding her head, she stood up stretching. "Don't let them see you. And if anything suspicious goes on, come back for us." She nodded her head again before bounding out the hut.

Sango sighed after a little while. "Now what do we do while they're gone?" A lecherous glint flashed in Miroku's eyes. A flat look crossed her face. "Keep your hands to yourself pervert." She growled smacking the hand that was just inches away from her rear end.

"But Sango – "he began.

"No but Sango me you lecher. Why can't you be a gentleman for once in your life?" She huffed getting up ready to leave. Before she reached the doorway, Miroku had grabbed hold of one of her hands spinning her around into his embrace. She struggled at first, but it only made him tighten his hold on her. Finally submitting, she hugged him back.

They stood like that for a moment before Miroku said, "Sango… have you not noticed that it has only been you that I've been pursuing? Have you not noticed it is only you that my hands have wandered to?" His voice was soft and sounded almost pleading than questioning.

Sango sighed. "How could I when you have been asking every able female we come across to bear your child?" She felt tears tugging at the back of her eyes.

She was about to pull away when he finally said, "I'm sorry." He lifted a hand up to turn her face to him with her chin. He leaned forward to rest his forehead on hers. "I'm sorry I do those things, but I promise you now that I will no longer do anymore perverted things if…"

"If what?"

"If you give me a kiss." She blushed and was going to slap him, but found nothing perverted in his eyes. He almost looked nervous to her. Yet his eyes were only presenting his honesty.

"All right." She quietly answered.

Miroku softly smiled before leaning forward. Their lips met gently and held for a moment before pulling away. A soft blush glowed from Sango's cheeks.

"Get a room." Shippou finally said. He had been watching the entire time trying not to ruin the moment until they kissed. Sango jumped away from Miroku blushing from embarrassment. The moment was ended. Miroku's shoulders slumped.

'Right when I had her…' he thought before turning on the kitsune. Shippou ran the moment he saw Miroku's murderous glare. Miroku chased him with threats much like Inuyasha used to do. It seemed quite uncharacteristic of the usually peaceful monk.

Sango laughed in merriment watching the two. Her heart felt lighter than ever in the last few days.

* * *

Kagura had woken with a jerk the next morning. A roar of growls from a multiple number of wolves and youkai echoed in the cave. She lay there confused for a moment before letting her body go limp when she remembered the night before. Kouga watched the entire time since the firs wolf woke in his cave. He saw her defeat and submission to her fate, but he barked at them to stand down.

His people were growing suspicious of Kouga's loyalty when he spared the wind witch's life. He still held her heart in his possession. He thought of returning it to her, but still has not. The last few days they spent inseparably, yet silently.

Today they're currently sitting near a stream off in the nearby forest of his home.

Kagura sat blankly staring unseeingly into the gentle, but quick trickle of water passing by. Kouga watched her a distance from her left.

"Thank you." She softly said. If not for his enhanced sense of hearing, he wouldn't have heard her. His nose twitched.

"For what?" He asked.

"From saving me from your people." She kept her voice low afraid the wolf people would suddenly appear in the clearing by merely mentioning their existence.

Kouga said nothing.

"Why didn't you let them kill me? I do not deserve to live."

Kouga opened his mouth to respond until she turned her face to look at him. His breath caught in his throat. 'She looks so helpless and scared. Her eyes… are not the eyes of the Kagura I know.'

"Well?" Her voice broke him out of his thoughts. She sounded like she was in pain. Kouga sighed and looked down into his hands. The look on her face was hard for him to look at.

When he finally looked back up she was staring at the water again. She looked so much paler and skinnier than she usually was. She looked beaten and weak and sat there like an abused dog.

"Honestly, I don't really know. I should have taken your life for the lives of my dead brothers, but I just couldn't. Defeating you without actually fighting you was a coward's way out and it would be dishonorable as well."

A long silence settled between them.

"You should have just killed me. My life means nothing. My heart is not my own and has been passed onto another person like I'm some possession or a toy even."

Kouga heard a faint angry strain in her voice, but she sounded mostly defeated and tired.

"Look." Kouga began after a pause. "I will return your heart to you on a few certain conditions."

Kagura turned to him. "What are those conditions?"

"One, you do not kill any more of my people. Two, you will help me destroy Naraku. And three, you will never cross my path or of my people after I return your heart after Naraku is dead."

* * *

She smiled at the eager koi swimming up to her as she settled down next to the pond in the garden. They wanted her to feed them and she did just that. The sun was shinning down on her and the pond in patches through the large sakura tree's branches. It was a nice sunny morning and she felt relaxed just sitting there watching the fish snatch up what she gave them.

She hadn't felt this good in a long time.

**Flashback**

Kagome woke slowly. She didn't want to get up just yet. After a long yawn and a good stretch, she snuggled back into the covers for their warmth and softness. A contented "Mmmm." escaped her throat as she buried her face into the side of the futon Naraku had recently occupied. She pouted a little though because he wasn't there.

"Now don't make that face, love. I'm right here." A voice called to her. When Kagome opened her eyes to look for the source, she found him leaning against the door frame. She smiled and put her arms out for him to come to her. He complied after motioning for someone out in the hallway to come in. Kanna stepped in after Naraku left the door frame to join Kagome, holding a tray filled with breakfast for two. There was even a little vase carrying a red rose sitting in the center.

She stood blankly staring at the couple for a moment. "You can bring it here to us in the bed." Naraku said. Kanna nodded once before proceeding to carefully place the tray before them on the futon.

"Thank you, Kanna. Did you cook this for us?" Kagome asked with a smile. Kanna nodded her head again with an expressionless face. "You're such a wonderful chef, Kanna. Would you mind if I came in sometime to watch you cook?" Kanna stood there for a moment before finally saying something.

"I'd like that, Kagome-sama."

Kagome smiled again. "You don't need to be so formal with me. You may just call me Kagome." Kanna nodded her head again before turning to leave. Before she even left the room, Kagome had begun eating.

"Oh, it's so yummy. I love this." Kagome's words reached Kanna's ears before she exited the room. A ghost of a smile flashed across her face before she disappeared down the hall to return to her favorite place in the estate, the kitchen.

"Yes, Kanna has gotten quite good at cooking and even baking." Naraku added after he swallowed the spoonful of what looked like oatmeal. (shrugs I doubt they had oatmeal back then and there, but you never know…)

"So did you come up with this romantic idea of breakfast in bed?" Kagome nudged him a little in the side.

"Actually, Kanna suggested it." He admitted.

After finishing everything that was edible on the tray, the couple headed off to the bath house.

"Can I ask you something?" Kagome quietly asked as Naraku massaged cleansing soaps into her hair. He could hear a tint of nervousness in her question.

"Of course you can. What is it?" Naraku replied continuing his ministrations.

Kagome licked her lips before beginning. "Could – could we go shard hunting?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean I don't mind spending time with you at your home and being treated like a princess, but I feel restless. I need to complete the Shikon no tama. It's my fault it had shattered."

"I understand. We can head out tomorrow after you wake up. Now you're ready to rinse."

"Thank you." Kagome smiled before taking up the little bucket near the water basin near the hot springs that was used to actually bathe. When she was done, she found Naraku rubbing more soaps into his own hair. She came up behind him grabbing another soap to help. "You have pretty hair too. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have gorgeous hair, but yours is pretty in its own way too." Naraku softly laughed.

"Thank you, Kagome." After finishing with his hair he did the same as Kagome and rinsed off.

While he was rinsing off she picked up another soap bar and rubbed it along her arms. She was almost done lathering the rest of her body when she felt Naraku push her hair aside to wash her back. She blushed slightly because she didn't have the water of the hot spring to hide herself from his eyes. Even though this was like the third or fourth bath with the man, she still felt a little embarrassed to be seen by him. The last time they bathed together in the bath house, Naraku had given her a little privacy as she cleansed herself as she had given him, but this time he had joined her. She had yet to see him completely naked.

Naraku felt it'd scare her if he were completely nude when he helped her bathe so he had worn a cloth around his waist. It covered everything in the front, but Kagome had gotten an eyeful of his derriere when he had gone to rinse his hair.

Kagome blushed harder when she realized he was taking the cloth off of his waist to clean himself as well. She tried to avoid looking below his waist and tried to distract herself by rinsing herself off when he began to rub the soap all over himself as well. When she turned back around from rinsing herself off, she was going to just slip into the hot spring, but almost laughed out when she noticed Naraku had accidentally gotten soap in his eyes and was trying to reach for the water basin.

Avoiding being crashed into, she grabbed his hand and gave him the little bucket after filling it with some water. After he had dumped the water over his head, he slowly opened his eyes and smiled. "Thank you." Kagome smiled back.

"You're welcome, but how exactly did you get soap in your eyes?"

"My hair had somehow gotten into my face and I was trying to push it away when the soap suds on my hands flew into my eyes." Kagome giggled. Naraku sighed and was about to rinse the rest of himself off, but Kagome stopped him by grabbing the soap he had dropped on the floor to scrub his back. He let out a happier sigh when he felt her hands working gently on his back.

When she had finished, she set the soap down with the others and slipped into the hot spring while Naraku rinsed himself off. He joined her in soaking not long after. They had sat next to each other in companionable silence.

"Where do you think we will go tomorrow?" Kagome asked, the first to break the silence.

Naraku thought about that for a moment. "Probably the west. I have yet to venture very far into Sesshomaru's lands. However, Inuyasha may be lurking about if we go in that direction. Maybe we shall go north instead."

Kagome thought about it as well. "No, we should go to the west. Like you said, you haven't traveled very far into those lands. We have traveled into the west, but there may still be more shards about there than we know." Naraku nodded in agreement.

"All right, we will head west. Hopefully, we do not run into the mutt. I don't know if I could hold myself back from tearing him apart for what he's done to you." An angry scowl took over his face. A little afraid he would go do something stupid, Kagome placed her hand on his cheek and kissed his other. A faint blush tainted his cheeks when he realized Kagome was almost sitting in his lap as she had calmed him down. The look in his eyes grew soft as he turned his head slightly to look at her. He smiled lightly as he put a hand on her cheek as well. Hesitatingly, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and it was Kagome's turn to blush.

"I'm all right, love. It just makes me so angry to know that filth had done something so horrid to you. I may be evil, but I wouldn't even do such a thing."

Kagome giggled. "Then maybe you're not as evil as we all think you to be."

"Perhaps." He playfully growled gathering her into his lap forgetting their state of dress. When he felt her nakedness against his own, he growled more taking a nip at her neck.

"Naraku." The way she said his name slightly questioning, but breathy made him even more aroused. He took her lips up into a hungry kiss and she returned it just as passionately. They had separated moments gasping for air, but Naraku continued with his assault of kisses traveling down her neck to her collar bone and shoulders. His hot kisses were beginning to travel further down forcing her to straddle his lap and arch her back. Feeling something hard rubbing against her folds brought her out of the daze she slipped into. Blushing bright red, she gently pushed away from him. "Wait."

Letting her go, he looked at her questioningly. "I'm sorry. I can't do this." She apologized and commenced to run out of the bath house with a towel wrapped around herself and her kimono in hand.

**Break in Flashback**

Kagome blushed furiously remembering what had happened during their bath. "After spending so much time being naked around each other, I still hadn't looked at his…" she trailed off before ending her sentence as her blush grew brighter. "But maybe some day…" She giggled at herself. "Now I know what it feels like to be Miroku." Then she laughed out thinking about the perverted monk. It made her think of Sango and Shippou as well. She missed them. For a moment she felt a little sad, but brightened up. "But now I have a new friend in my life."

**Continuing Flashback**

Naraku had later found Kagome in the kitchen helping Kanna cook. He had surprised her when he came up behind her with a hug. "I'm sorry about earlier." He whispered into her ear.

"It's all right. Don't worry about it. Now, here, try this." She let him taste off the spoon she was stirring with whatever it was she was making. He didn't recognize what it was.

"What is it?" He asked after tasting it.

"It's spaghetti sauce, but we'll be having it for dinner. It's a foreign dish, but it's really good. You put the sauce on noodles. It takes time to cook the sauce so that's why I started it not long ago. It tastes better after cooking it for a while."

"I'm sure it'll be great. It tastes good already."

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Lunch is almost ready." Kanna announced to them.

"Well, I'll get out of your way and head to the dinning room." Naraku began exiting.

"Ok, I'll be there in a little." Kagome said returning to stir her spaghetti sauce.

"Kagome, can you prepare some tea?" Kanna asked her as she was placing rice into bowls.

"Of course."

"Thank you."

Kagome began humming as she placed a kettle on top of the clay stove next to her spaghetti sauce. Kanna had already set out the tea set for Kagome. Kagome found a tray to put it all on. She had been humming the whole time. When the water had come to a boil Kanna had finished placing the contents of lunch onto trays and was calling a couple servants to take it into the dining room. It didn't take long for Kagome to pour the hot water into the smaller tea kettle and lead the servants carrying the food to the dinning room.

Before leaving though, Kagome asked Kanna, "Will you please stir my sauce every now and then while I'm gone?" Kanna nodded her head and Kagome smiled. "Thank you, Kanna."

After setting the tray down, she had sat down to Naraku's right and the servants placed their food in front of them.

"Do you like cooking?" Naraku asked while they ate.

"Yea, but I don't know how to cook very many things. My mom taught me how to cook spaghetti. I kind of miss my mom."

"Maybe you should go visit your family before we go look for shards."

"Can I?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"Of course." Kagome almost knocked him over hugging him.

"Thank you so much. Inuyasha was such a butt about letting me go home, and he woke me up at the crack of dawn to go shard hunting." And she kissed him on the cheek before going back to her lunch. Naraku nervously chuckled at her sudden behavior changes. At first she had been eating casually and then almost knocked him over with her affections and now was excitedly stuffing her face.

**End Flashback**

When Kagome was done reliving what had happened earlier that day, she realized that the sun had sunken quite low and it was late evening. Realizing she had also almost forgotten about her spaghetti dinner, she raced off to the kitchen in time to see Kanna stirring the sauce.

"Thank you so much for watching my sauce, Kanna. I sort of spaced out while I was in the garden."

"That is all right Kagome. I enjoy cooking, and this spaghetti sauce smells quite good." Kanna replied.

"Well, dinner should be ready in about 15 minutes. I just need to make the noodles. Will you help me?" (A/N: I'm sure whatever noodles they come up with making will still taste good with spaghetti sauce… shrugs … although I'm not completely sure how noodles are made so we're just going to skip ahead to the eating lol)

"Oh, this came out better than I expected." Kagome said after tasting her spaghetti. She looked at Naraku for his opinion. He was still chewing.

"I wasn't sure what to expect, but even though this tastes very different from anything I've eaten. I like it." Naraku finally said. Kagome beamed.

After eating two platefuls together, Naraku and Kagome decided to retire for the night and went back to Naraku's room they had been sharing.

* * *

The same night some place else…

"I think it'd be better if we didn't sit idly around anymore. We need to find Naraku." Kouga told Kagura as they sat eating dinner just outside of the caves.

"I agree. Although I know where Naraku is, he may not be there much longer."

"Why do you say that?" Kouga questioned.

"He'll probably be out shard hunting now that she's in his company."

"Who are you talking about?"

"You didn't know?" Kagura asked. She looked surprised for a moment.

"Know what?" While Kouga was looking quite confused.

"Naraku and Kagome have joined alliances. Well, from what I've seen, it may be more than just a truce to search for the shards. They've been quite friendly with each other. Naraku has been protecting Kagome from Kikyou."

"What!" Kouga looked furious now.

"Kagome has also saved his life from Inuyasha. I think there is more between the two than I have seen."

"Kagome couldn't have possibly saved that monster! He's evil! He's our enemy! He must have done something to her! I'm going to kill that bastard if he has done anything to her!" Kouga raved missing the flashes of hurt and jealousy in Kagura's eyes as she watched him become enraged.

"He hasn't done anything to her, Kouga. I would have known. She has been with Naraku willingly. Something must have happened to her while she was with Inuyasha to trust someone like Naraku with her life. Besides, now that she is with him, it will be easier to track him down when he isn't at his estate." She tried not to yell.

"I don't believe you." Kouga began. "I think he put a spell on her or something. I know Kagome and she wouldn't team up with a creep like Naraku. He's hurt so many people and her friends. I can't believe what you're saying." Kouga stormed off.

A small wet splash that had landed on her hand made Kagura snap back to reality. She looked up at the sky but didn't see any rain clouds. Confused, she touched her face.

"Why did I cry?" She asked herself angrily. "It's not like I care what Kouga thinks. That stupid wolf." She huffed.

* * *

The same night in another some place else… namely the village near Inuyasha's forest where Kaeda lives…

"We should get to bed soon." Sango said poking at the fire in the middle of Kaeda's hut one last time before heading towards her designated sleeping area.

"I agree. We should head out tomorrow to look for shards as well." Miroku said.

"Can I come with you guys?" Shippou asked yawning.

"Sorry Shippou, but we think it'd be safer if you stayed with Kaeda. You can help her out and you'll also get to play with the village kids as well." Sango said.

"Oh, all right." Shippou said sounding a little down.

"We'll bring you back something if we pass any villages." Miroku offered.

"That sounds great!" The kitsune perked up. "Too bad we don't have many things like the candy Kagome used to bring back for me." And he was a little down again.

"Don't say such things." Sango said gathering him into her arms. "I'm sure Kagome will come back soon. She won't ever forget about you Shippou. You know that."

"I hope so." Shippou said settling down with Sango to sleep. "Thanks, Sango. Goodnight everyone." After the others had replied, the little fox was soon fast asleep, and the others followed not much later after.

* * *

"Ok, Kagome, hold onto me." Naraku told Kagome as he readied himself to transport them closer to Inuyasha's forest. She did as she was instructed holding tightly onto the little bag of gifts she was bringing back to her family.

Within seconds, they were standing in the middle of Inuyasha's forest cutting down days of travel on foot.

"Wow, that's amazing." Kagome said when they began walking towards Kaeda's village.

* * *

At the same time at the village…

"Well, that should be enough supplies for us to travel to the next village." Miroku said lifting a pack to his back. Sango had a similar looking sized pack on her back along with her weapon Hirakotsu.

"Be careful ye two. Come back safely." Kaeda told them.

"We will. Be good Shippou." Sango said as the two began walking off in the opposite direction that Kagome and Naraku were approaching the village from.

At the same time in another part of Inuyasha's forest…

"They're here." Kouga said. "I can smell Kagome. She's not too far away from us." He told Kagura. "You were right. He would be easier to find when he's with Kagome." She only nodded before they quickly headed towards the unsuspecting couple.

* * *

At the same time high up in the sky… (A/N: I know… but I can't help it lol)

"Naraku has grown weak." His emotionless voice came out clearly even through the winds blowing at him at the height he was traveling at on his youki cloud. "While that woman is in his presence, he lets his guard down and doesn't know he's being tracked down." And Sesshomaru wasn't one to help those who manipulated and used him, so he lingered in the sky, undetected, watching.

* * *

Back with Kagome and Naraku…

"We're almost there." Naraku said. Kagome shook her head. It looked like she wasn't paying attention for a moment.

"How'd you know about the well?" Kagome asked surprised as they passed the goshinboku tree.

"You were traveling with a nuisance that has been in my way for over 50 years. I've known about the well ever since you first met Inuyasha."

"You know…" Kagome trailed off before continuing. "That sounds a little creepy." She was silent another moment longer before a crimson blush stained her cheeks. "How do I know you haven't been spying on me while I was bathing?"

Naraku stopped and turned to her. "But you already know the answer to that my love. We did bathe together than morning."

"Oh yea." This time Kagome blushed not only from the look in Naraku's eyes, but from embarrassment for not thinking before speaking. While she was distracted, Naraku carefully guided her towards the well by the hand. She smiled softly when she noticed her unoccupied hand currently being gently engulfed in his larger hand.

"Well, here you go Kagome. Take as long as you want. I'll be here when you return." Naraku said as they stood face to face.

"Thank you. I won't be longer than a day." Kagome said. Naraku pulled her close to him in a hug. The pulled slightly apart and a pink blush covered Kagome's cheeks as Naraku stared into her eyes with that look again. She didn't know what it was, but she had caught him looking at her that way numerous times during their time together at his home. She barely noticed the distance between their faces had come only centimeters apart until they were rudely interrupted.

"Get your hands off of her!" Came a gruff yell.

Panicking, Kagome screamed, "Osuwari!" When the thud and cursing hadn't come she opened her eyes to look over Naraku's left shoulder to see who it was. Despite the unwelcome and undetected intrusion, Naraku had quickly placed himself before Kagome. To her surprise it was Kouga.

"Kouga-kun, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked still behind Naraku.

"Get away from him Kagome. Come to me. I'll protect you from this monster."

"I'm fine Kouga really." Kagome tried to tell him, but he wasn't convinced.

"Are you blind wolf?" Naraku asked.

"I can see perfectly fine. You've done something to Kagome."

"I think you should get your eyes examined because I have done nothing to Kagome except care for her."

"An evil treacherous monster like you could never care for anyone except yourself." Kouga spat. Kagome's left eye brow had began twitching unnoticed by the two arguing.

"Get away from him Kagome, so I can destroy the bastard. I don't want you to get hurt." Kouga called.

"What is with everyone!" Kagome exploded. Stepping in front of Naraku she continued. "Naraku is not a monster! What is with you and Inuyasha? Are you both too stupid or too blind to notice that I'm not dead or even injured? If Naraku was so horrible, I wouldn't be standing here. So why don't you just go away? You ruined the moment!" Kagome was really mad.

Kouga stared at her with his mouth hanging open. He had never heard Kagome so angry or so loud except when she was arguing with Inuyasha.

"This has got to be a trick." Kouga said after getting over his shock.

"Dear Cami, help him and Inuyasha and their stubborn ignorance." Kagome said with a hand on her forehead. "And I thought Kouga was the smarter of the two." She mumbled.

While she had been talking seemingly to herself, Kouga had taken the opportunity to attack Naraku who had been ready for it the entire time. The wolf prince was down in only moments with scrapes, scratches, and a wound from Naraku's katana that he had pierced completely through Kouga's stomach. Before Naraku could completely dispose of him, he had been stopped not only by Kagome, but by Kagura.

The wind witch stood before the hunched over Kouga with her fan out. Kagome had placed a hand on the katana that he held before him. In the corner of his eye, he could see the pleading look she gave him to spare Kouga's life.

Despite the pain he was going through, Kouga was watching the interaction between Naraku and Kagome.

"You should be thankful Kagome is who she is." Naraku said wiping the blood off of his sword before placing it back in its sheath.

"Thank you for not killing him." Kagome said hugging him. Naraku kept his eyes on the wounded wolf as well as Kagura who still stood with her fan out.

"This isn't over Naraku." Kagura said. She was preparing to attack both Kagome and Naraku, but Kouga stopped her.

"Don't!" He attempted to push her out of the way and ended up stumbling and crashing into her sending them both to the ground.

"Get off of me! You're heavy!" Kagura uncharacteristically shrieked as Kouga's head met her chest. She struggled to shove him off of her and only ended up hurting him more.

Kagome ran to help them while Naraku watched very closely from where he still stood. "I'm so sorry this happened Kouga. But I told you I was fine. Do you want me to help you with those wounds?" Kagome asked.

"No, don't worry about it." Kouga said. He couldn't look her in the eye. "Let's get out of here." Kouga said to Kagura. In no time they were sailing off in the sky on Kagura's feather.

When they were only a speck in the sky, Kagome turned back to Naraku. He had picked up the little bag Kagome had dropped in the scuffle, and made sure everything in it was still intact. Finding everything was fine he handed it to Kagome. She smiled at him.

"We just keep getting into these dumb fights with people because we're spending time together." She looked sad. He pulled her into another hug.

"It's because most of your friends here are my enemies." He kissed her forehead. "Now, you should go see your family. It will do you good to get away for a little bit." This made her smile. She hugged him back with extra squeeze and a kiss on the cheek before disappearing down the well.

"How touching." The cynical tone of voice she used made him tense with anger. When he turned around he wasn't surprised to see the dead miko standing in the clearing with him.

"Kikyou." (A/N: yea, she's supposed to be somewhere in the west with Inuyasha, but I thought she should also be here for this chapter… let's just pretend Inuyasha is still sleeping right now, doesn't know she's gone, and isn't trying to figure out where Kikyou has run off to)

"I told you to get rid of her not fall in love with the twit."

"Please refrain from calling her names. It's unbecoming of you."

"You're not holding up your side of the deal."

"Oh, but I am. Inuyasha is yours now is he not? And Kagome is not in your way anymore now is she?"

"I meant for you to kill her."

"You didn't specifically tell me to kill her, dear Kikyou. You only told me to take care of her so she is no longer a hindrance for you to be with Inuyasha." The angry look in Kikyou's eyes blazed brightly. She was getting ready to leave with her wormy demons to carry her back to Inuyasha. "And don't think I won't forget about what you had Inuyasha do to her, Kikyou, and you will pay for that."

She laughed. "I doubt that." And she was gone.

* * *

"Kagome?" Shippou sniffed the air and happily bounded towards where her scent was coming from. He wasso happy he might have a chance to see her again that he had not noticed the presence of others in the area.

When he reached the clearing that held the well, he was disappointed to see Kagome wasn't there, but frightened when he realized there were other people there. Namely Naraku and Kikyou.

"You're not holding up your side of the deal."

'Deal? What deal is she talking about?' Shippou thought.

"Oh, but I am. Inuyasha is yours now is he not? And Kagome is not in your way anymore now is she?"

"I meant for you to kill her."

'I knew it! Kikyou has only been around to get rid of Kagome! That stupid head Inuyasha!'

"You didn't specifically tell me to kill her, dear Kikyou. You only told me to take care of her so she is no longer a hindrance for you to be with Inuyasha."

'Good she's going away. Those wormy things are creepy. Kikyou is creepy. I don't like the smell of her. She smells like dirt and bones. Not like how Kagome smells. I don't get how Inuyasha can stand being around her for so long. But I guess that's what love does to you. It makes you stupid.'

"And don't think I won't forget about what you had Inuyasha do to her, Kikyou, and you will pay for that."

'Even Naraku knows she did it. Inuyasha is so dense.'

She laughed. "I doubt that." And she was gone.

'Good riddance. I hope she stays away much longer.'

* * *

A/N: sorry it took so long for me to update… but thanks to my little group of fans that have read my stuff and asked me to update… I have successfully passed my writer's block for the time being and know what to write for the next couple chapters… and upon curiosity, I did a search on the story title An Unlikely Pair and there were 3 results for Inuyasha including my story (mine being the first published with the title although I don't really care so much about the title as I do the story)… and 25 results in the rest of including mine, which doesn't surprise me 


	9. CHAP 9

**An Unlikely Pair**

**disclaimer**: Inuyasha and co. belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi-sama

**Chapter 9 - Truth Revealed and Kikyou's Treachery**

(A/N: Someone dies in this chapter, and you may not like it, but it was a decision made in order for me to write the rest of the fic as I want it to come out as)

After landing softly at the bottom of the well and looking up to see the roof of the well house, Kagome quickly climbed up the ladder and ran towards her home. Tears of happiness were already beginning to roll down her cheeks. Bursting through the front door and kicking off her shoes she called, "Momma, Souta, Grampa! I'm home!" She was soon gathered up in the arms of her family and surprisingly even Buyo was there to greet her.

"It's good to have you home, Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi said loosening her hug.

"It's good to be home." Kagome said. "I brought back some gifts."

After giving Souta his top, her mom her kimono and fan, and her grandpa scrolls of legends and stores from the past, the family settled down to eat lunch.

"Kagome, will you help me with the dishes?" Mrs. Higurashi asked at the end of the meal.

"Sure thing, mom." Kagome smiled.

Whey they were at the sink Mrs. Higurashi asked, "Is there anything you'd like to talk to me about?" Kagome looked at her confused. "Has something happened while you were there? Something very serious?" The confused look turned to surprise and then one that was scared.

"How could you tell?" Kagome asked. Her voice sounded panicked. Her mom hugger her to her.

"Whatever it is, I'll understand Kagome. You're my daughter. I know when something has happened. I can see it in your eyes. They still shine as they had before you left, but tell tales of experience." Kagome broke down crying. Mrs. Higurashi hugged her tighter rubbing her back and making shushing noises. "Go sit down in the living room and we'll talk when I'm done with the dishes ok?" Kagome nodded before leaving the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi found Kagome nervously wringing her hands as she sat there on the couch.

"Don't be nervous or afraid to tell me Kagome." She said handing a cup of tea to her.

"I don't know mom. What I'll tell you may not make you very happy. I don't know if you'll let me go back again after I tell you."

"Well, that's just something you'll have to risk because I'm not letting you go until you tell me." Kagome let out a long sigh before beginning.

"Before I begin, you need to promise not to get mad or interrupt me, and to trust in the decisions I've made." Mrs. Higurashi nodded.

"Well, Inuyasha had let Kikyou join us and it made me really mad that he hadn't even talked to us about it. But we still went shard hunting anyway. We came to a slaughtered village not long after. It was so horrible. No on was spared. We buried them." Mrs. Higurashi nodded with a little smile. "What happened after that may make you very angry. I'm still hurt and mad and depressed about it as well. It happened maybe three or four days ago. I've been trying to forget it." She paused waiting for her mom to reply.

"Go on, Kagome. It's ok."

"Well, I don't know what was going on, but I woke up the next morning and I was alone with Inuyasha. Something was wrong. His eyes looked so lifeless. As if he wasn't all there. And then… he raped me." Kagome choked out. Tears began stream down her face quickly. "I couldn't stop him. He just kept going. Then he left me alone. I felt so dirty. I tried to scrub my skin off." Kagome's mom was also in tears and they were hugging each other fiercely.

"Oh, my poor baby. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm going to kill Inuyasha!"

"No, mom! It wasn't him. Something was wrong like someone was controlling him… it was Kikyou!" Kagome growled out finally realizing it.

"You mean the dead miko? Inuyasha's past love?" Kagome nodded.

"But that's not all, mom. I have somewhat good news to tell you." It was Mrs. Higurashi's turn to look surprised. "Someone came to me and helped me that day Inuyasha had raped me. I think I'm falling in love with him."

"Who is it?" Kagome bit hr lip.

"I don't know, mom. You're going to freak out even more when I tell you this."

"What could be so much worse than hearing my baby was raped?"

"Well…" Kagome tried to stall.

"Out with it."

"It's Naraku!" She blurted out before covering her blushing face with her hands. She waited for her mom's outburst of incredulity, but it never came. Instead, when she looked at her mom she was smiling mysteriously at her. "Well?"

"I'm not entirely happy with it, but I trust you Kagome. He did help you didn't he?"

"Well, yea…"

"Then he can't be all that bad."

"You're great, mom."

"I know." They hugged each other again and held onto each other for a while before Kagome started to leave to do some homework. Before she got up the stairs, her mom called after her, "Tell Naraku thank you for the gifts."

"Will do."

"And ask him when I'll be getting my grand babies." Kagome almost fell down hearing her mom say that. A horrified look along with a blush covered her face. "I'm kidding. I better not see any grand babies for the next three years." Kagome laughed nervously before walking up the stairs to disappear in her room.

She couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept drifting off to other things, but mostly to Naraku. She wondered what he was doing and whether he was thinking of her too. As the night got later, her thoughts drifted towards the time they share together and specifically to the baths they shared. A heated blush crossed her cheeks when she wished she were bathing with him at the moment. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Kagome." She muttered to herself forcing herself to concentrate on the math problems still sitting in front of her. But it was useless because her brother interrupted her to announce dinner was ready.

It was very late into the night when she finally finished and dragged herself to bed. She had school in the morning and she had to wake up in four hours to get ready.

"Kagome! Get up! You're going to be late!" Souta yelled through her door. Kagome jumped up stumbling out of her blankets. She glared at the alarm clock that hadn't woken her up and madly dashed around to get ready. She was out the door in fifteen minutes with her homework and satchel in one hand, her lunch in the other, and a piece of toast in her mouth. She lowed down when she spotted her friends down the sidewalk.

"Hey guys!" Kagome greeted them. They all greeted her back just as excitedly. Their chatter seemed to overpower the traffic and hub of the city around them.

"So Kagome, why don't you go say hello to Hojo? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you feeling better from your turkey fever." Kagome sweatdropped at the new recent made up illness she was suffering from that her grandpa was telling everyone.

"Oh, no, I'm sure Hojo will find me first. I don't really want to bother him right now."

"You're still not going out with that two-timer or that thug or that arrogant transvestite are you?" Kagome laughed at the nicknames Ami gave to the Inu brothers and Kouga.

"No, I'm not going out with any of them."

"You must be going out with someone, Kagome. I can tell by how you won't go out with Hojo." Yumi said poking Kagome in the side.

"Stop it you guys. It's none of your business whether I go out with Hojo or not! But while we're on the subject, I'd rather go out with someone else than Hojo thank you very much. So if you think he's so perfect, then why don't one of you ask him out?"

"Then who do you want to go out with then?" Yuka asked honestly. Kagome laughed nervously as her other two friends leaned closer to hear her answer.

"Well, you guys don't know him, but he's so much nicer than Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. He's very handsome. He appears to be a little shady, but he's a sweetheart once you get to know him."

"He sounds too good to be true. What's wrong with this one?" Ami asked. Kagome laughed nervously. Not wanting to share, but not wanting to lie to her friends, she tried to answer. Just then the bell rang. Relieved, Kagome ran off to class calling back that she'd see them later.

Kagome sighed as she sat in her math class as the teacher droned on with his lesson. She began to doze off and was fast asleep in no time.

A few moments later, Kagome jerked awake with cold sweat on her forehead. Something was wrong. She looked frantically about her realizing something must be wrong in Sengoku Jidai when she found nothing wrong or out of place around her. The teacher hadn't noticed her hand when it shot up in the air, but finally had when she waved it vigorously.

"Yes, Higurashi?" He asked a little grumpy for being interrupted.

"May I be excused? It's an emergency."

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?"

"No."

"Are you dying or are you in any pain?"

"No, but – "

"Then, no." He interrupted her this time. He went back to lecturing.

Kagome's unease grew even more. She tried to brush it off, but when a cold chill ran down her spine, she quickly gabbed her things and ran apologizing as she zoomed passed the teacher. She raced back home and immediately dropped her school things at the door to the well house and jumped into the well without hesitation.

When she landed softly on the other side, her ears were met with the sounds of metal hitting metal and the buzz of Naraku's insects hovering about. When she eventually pulled herself from the well, her eyes met the sight of Naraku and Sesshomaru fighting in the same clearing as the well. Her sudden appearance broke Naraku's concentration which ended him up sprawled on the ground. Sesshomaru was about to drive Tokijin into Naraku's heart when Kagome jumped between them.

"Get out of the way." Sesshomaru said without taking his eyes away from the hanyou behind her who had recovered to his feet.

"No, I won't let you hurt him." Sesshomaru scoffed at Kagome's words.

"Are you so quick to save the man who caused your companions such loss and pain/"

"I've forgiven him." Kagome kept her ground.

"Interesting that you would show such compassion for the man who had indirectly caused your misfortune with Inuyasha."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome was genuinely confused.

"The creature you protect had made a deal with that miko corpse to give her Inuyasha if she gave him the Shikon no Tama. But she needed you out of the way first."

"What?" Kagome gasped. She wearily turned to have both males before her, but apart from each other. She looked at Naraku. He wouldn't look her in the eye. "What is he talking about?" She whispered. He came forward trying to take her hands.

"You know I'd never hurt you, love."

"Don't give me that love bullshit. If you loved me you wouldn't have schemed with Kikyou. You could have won my heart without Inuyasha raping me." Kagome stepped away from him.

"Kagome I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn't even know she was planning on doing that. You've got to believe me. I will seek revenge and kill her for it." He pleaded with her.

"Then why is she still alive if you know she did it?" He tried to answer, but couldn't find one good enough reason so he shut his mouth. Kagome backed away some more leaving room for Sesshomaru to attack him. Naraku didn't even fight back. She watched horrified that he was letting Sesshomaru beat him to a bloody mess.

Once again, before Sesshomaru could land a finishing blow, Kagome threw herself between them. She said nothing but looked at Sesshomaru with tears trailing down her face. He said nothing and returned Tokijin to its sheath. He didn't move to leave either. She didn't care.

Turning to Naraku, she said, "Leave me alone. Never show yourself to me because from now on we are no longer friends or allies." She stood there without looking at him anymore and waited for him to leave before she fell to her knees to cry harder. Sesshomaru was the only soul to watch her break down and rebuild herself within the same hour. In an odd way, she felt comfort in his silent presence. Glad that she was at least not alone.

Sesshomaru simply watched her. He didn't offer her a hand when she got up, but she wouldn't have accepted it and hadn't expected him to in the first place. She was surprised, however, when he followed her when she approached the well. He peered down into it and she sat on the lip. "You're not going to tell anyone about the well are you?" He didn't say anything, but she continued. "Well, if you do can you warn me who you have told? But I doubt that you would. Would you?" He still looked at her. She smiled up at him and turned so that her legs dangled into the well.

"Thank you though for telling me." Her smile softened before she pushed off to travel back to her time.

"You're welcome." He answered once he saw the blue light dissipate from inside the well.

Kagome returned an hour later with her yellow backpack filled with food and supplies. She wasn't surprised to see Sesshomaru no longer occupied the clearing. However, she was surprised to see Kikyou so soon. That meant Inuyasha was not far away. Lo and behold, the sound of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fighting reached to her ears not long after. It appeared Kikyou was about to join the fight, but before she could fire an arrow, Kagome let out a yell.

"SIT!" And Inuyasha face planted before Sesshomaru could get a face full of Kaze no Kizu. Inuyasha cursed, but was muffled by the ground currently filling his mouth.

"Do not interrupt with that does not concern you." Kikyou coldly said to her.

"If it involved Inuyasha or Sesshomaru it does. It especially does if it's both of them." Kagome told her just as placidly. She took up her own bow and arrows in her hands abandoning her bag behind her. She took up a position by Sesshomaru's side before Inuyasha recovered from the subduing spell. A displeased look took over Inuyasha's face as he spit out dirt and grass. Kikyou came up to stand beside him.

"What's with you Kagome? Why do you keep taking sides with our enemies?"

"Our enemies?" Kagome scoffed. "We're no longer on good terms, Inuyasha." She spit his name out like it was venom. "Why do _you _keep taking sides with a _dead _woman?" Kagome's anger towards her betrayal from both Inuyasha and Naraku was coming out and unfortunately, Inuyasha was the one to be there. "You'd rather love a _claypot_ of who your first love _was_ than what you always had before your face."

Inuyasha glared angrily at her. "Don't talk about Kikyou that way." Kagome sadly shook her head.

"Even after all we've been through and what I've done for you and what you did to me, you're still choosing her over me." Kagome said bitterly. Before anything else was spoken, a speeding arrow found itself whizzing passed Kagome's face taking a small chunk of her hair with it. Kagome scowled at Kikyou. Lifting her bow and arrow, Kagome aimed at Kikyou and let it go before the priestess could fire another.

(A/N: I'm sorry if this isn't a spectacular fight scene, but you know what… I don't write fight scenes very well, so this is as good as I will get it until I get better at it and revise way later on… maybe… and just to warn someone will die soon)

The new presence of Sango and Miroku's arrival barely registered to Kagome before she continued her assault on Kikyou. "Your aim is terrible." Kikyou commented firing another arrow that narrowly missed Kagome's shoulder. The fight had moved towards the forest. The two women sprinted through the trees firing an arrow almost simultaneously being forced to take cover.

Sango and Miroku and Inuyasha tried to aid the women of their choice, but Sesshomaru prevented them. "It is a fight between them." Inuyasha took this moment to pick up their fight that had been interrupted. Unbeknownst to all, Shippou had scurried after Kagome.

Aim. Shoot. Fire. Duck. Run. Aim. Shoot. Fire. Duck. Run. Repeated until Kagome realized she had only one arrow left. "You only have one arrow left!" Kikyou called out to her.

"So! The battle will not be over after this arrow!" Kagome called back to her. She received on response so she proceeded to find the other woman. Suddenly, Kikyou's last arrow blazed passed her by inches radiating with her miko powers. Kagome watched in horrified slow motion as it honed in on Shippou. All of the other arrows Kikyou had shot were not purifying. He was only three feet away from her. She tried to stop the course of the arrow at the last minute but was too late. Shippou lay shaking on the ground.

"Shippou." Blood came out of his mouth and gushed quickly from his chest. It must have gotten his heart. Kagome frantically tried to stop the bleeding, but it just kept coming.

"It's ok Kagome." He weakly said. "I'll get to see my papa now." She shook her head yes as tears streamed down her face. She squeezed his hand and hugged him to her as best as she could without disturbing the arrow in his chest anymore.

"Remember me, Shippou."

"I will. I love you, okasan."

"I love you too Shippou, my little musuko-chan." She cried hard at his last shaky breath. As his body began to disappear, Kagome wiped her tears away.

Boiling rage momentarily replaced her sorrow as she dashed toward Kikyou. Tackling her, she began to slam her head against the forest floor. "You stupid, stupid bitch!" Kagome yelled so loudly that those away in the clearing heard. The battle between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru ceased as they all dashed into the nearby forest. Well, except Sesshomaru. He took his time, but got there in enough time to watch Kagome continue to beat Kikyou's face with her fists. Inuyasha was going to stop her, but they all soon figured out why Kagome was being so extremely violent with Kikyou's face. Near Kagome's discarded arrow was a puddle of blood. Floating in the little puddle was a leaf. It wasn't just any leaf, but one of Shippou's.

A metallic glint caught their eyes. Even though Kagome was thoroughly thrashing Kikyou, Kikyou managed to withdraw a dagger hidden in one of her sleeves. The yelled warnings didn't reach her in time because Kikyou had already imbedded it as far as she could into Kagome's side. With the abrupt stop of attacks, Kikyou managed to shove Kagome off of her.

Kagome stared in disbelief at the metal object protruding from her side. Blood was soaking through her shirt. The stain spread quickly as more of her blood seeped out. Before deciding whether to take it out, she fainted. Kikyou staggered to Inuyasha, but he brushed passed her to gently pick Kagome up to rush her to Kaeda. Only the fuming miko and the taiyoukai remained.

"I would advise you to leave Kagome alone. Killing an innocent child is not acceptable." Kikyou only glared at Sesshomaru as he turned to follow the others to the village. Before leaving, he picked up the leaf floating in the puddle still along with the bow.

Inuyasha panicked as he carried Kagome in his arms. "Don't forget her bag!" He called to Sango and Miroku who were going ahead to warn Kaeda. "I'm so sorry." Inuyasha kept saying as he jogged. "I'm sorry for not protecting you like I promised. I failed you."

After Kaeda reassured them all that Kagome was going to be fine, they all were settling down to ease their emotional distress only to be reminded about Shippou. Sango silently cried, Miroku looked down into his hands with a sad but somewhat guilty look, and Inuyasha kept himself hidden and apart from them to hide his own few tears. Sesshomaru sat outside the hut listening to what was going on. Kagome was going to be fine. She just needed rest and time to heal.

Night had come slowly, but Sesshomaru remained sitting outside of the hut leaning on one side of its walls near the front entrance. The village had just settled down to dinner with their families as the occupants of the hut did as well.

"Will ye be joining us and have some dinner, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kaeda said standing in the doorway. Sesshomaru rose as the old woman returned inside and followed her shortly after.

"I only want to see for myself how she is. I have affairs to attend to concerning my lands." Sesshomaru stated after entering the hut. What met his gaze was a slightly pale Kagome. She was reclining propped up by pillows being spoon fed by Sango a soup that was made for dinner. Inuyasha was still in his corner, but faced the others with his own bowl of soup though his eyes were cast down into the bowl. Miroku sat close by slowly eating with a distracted look in his eyes. Kaeda settled herself down to take over Sango's place to let her eat her own dinner. Sesshomaru knelt at Kagome's other side.

"You don't need to baby me. I can feed myself." Kagome softly said.

"Ye probably could, but we are not going to risk straining thy wound." Kaeda replied.

Kagome nodded and continued to eat as Sesshomaru watched silently. She was done eating soon after and was helped to lay down to rest more.

"Why are you still here?" Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru before letting her lid slide closed. She was still awake. The other listened unknowingly for Sesshomaru's response.

"I just wanted to clarify some things." Was his vague answer.

"As in?" She tried to make it more specific.

"I will wait until you are done healing before we talk of it. In the mean time, I must return to patrolling my lands."

"Ok." Kagome opened her eyes to watch the demon lord exit the little building. He gave her a slight nod before disappearing into the night. The rest of the dinner went uneventful and silent. They all laid down to go to sleep. Sango and Kirara slept close to Kagome sharing each other's comfort in the absence of Shippou. In the morning Miroku, Sango, and Kaeda were going to erect a shrine nearby for the young kitsune, but for now, everyone just wanted to rest.

Inuyasha remained awake as the others drifted off. He stared up at the ceiling. Thoughts of the day's events replayed in his head over and over. He shifted his eyes to the dark blobs that were Kagome and Sango before he returned them back to the ceiling. He was mad at himself for letting Kagome get hurt and confused about Kikyou. It was Kikyou but not Kikyou. He was depressed about Shippou's murder which was tearing the hanyou apart. He loved the woman Kikyou was and did somewhat for the shell that walked around harboring her anger and hatred deep inside. But he already missed the brat. Shippou was only a kid. He frowned. Sighing, he tried to get a little rest for himself.

* * *

Tossing and turning, he decided to get up instead of futilely try to sleep in his bed. The bed they shared. Her scent was still aced into the linens and silks. It made the ache in his heart increase. He decided to sit down at the little table near the window. Opening it just a little he peered up into the night sky and sighed. His eyes burned. He wasn't used to such emotion. Tears hurt his eyes after they long have dried. Rubbing them, he relieved them a little. His insomnia only caused his mind to wander and near tears slowly slid down his face. 

"Master, please go to bed." The little demon girl nudged him. He had fallen asleep with his head on the table. Stirring, he mumbled a name. Half asleep, he stumbled to his bed with the guidance of the pale demon child. She tucked him in before shutting the window and quietly left shutting the door.

She knew what had happened.

* * *

A few weeks later… 

"Take it easy Kagome. You still haven't completely healed." Sango scolded her.

"I'll be fine Sango. Stop worrying." Kagome said trying to lift the yellow pack onto her bike. Failingly, she ended up stumbling and falling onto the bag on her uninjured side. "Ow."

"I told you Kagome. Make Inuyasha carry the bag and you can ride with me on Kirara."

"What? Why do I have to carry her stupid stuff?" Inuyasha huffed.

"Because it was your girlfriend's fault she's like that!" Sango yelled brandishing her large boomerang at him. Inuyasha avoided being hit by running behind Kagome.

"Look, I can't carry it anyway because I'm not going with you guys. I need to take care of some things." Inuyasha said beginning to walk away. Sango sighed.

"Well, then Miroku can ride your bike with the pack while we ride Kirara."

"Alright." Kagome said settling down in front of the taijiya.

"If I must." Miroku said with a little pout.

"We need to head west again." Sango said and they set off quickly before Inuyasha could say anything else.

"How are you doing?" Sango asked Kagome when they stopped for lunch.

"I'm fine, Sango. I'm in no pain at all. Kaeda is a good healer."

"I didn't mean that Kagome. I meant about you and Naraku and Inuyasha." Kagome had told them everything that was going on and what had happened during her weeks cooped up in Kaeda's hut. Kagome looked down at her ramen for a while before answering.

"I don't know. They both have hurt me. I still care about them. But they've lost my trust. I don't know, Sango." The addressed girl nodded.

Lunch finished not long after and the girls took the pot and dishes to a nearby stream to clean them. "So what happened between you and Miroku while I was gone?"

"Nothing!" Sango quickly answered.

"Don't give me that." Kagome poked her friend's side seeing the blush she tried to hide. "Something happened I can see it in the way you two look at each other." Kagome continued. "But you don't have to tell me now. But you should remember that I know something has happened and I'll hear about it sooner or later."

"No, you're right. It's ok, we can talk about it now."

"Well?"

"We kissed. And he did it without groping me." Kagome squealed grabbing her friend up into a hug.

"I knew you two would get together." And the conversation went on throughout the rest of the day comparing the three males even when they traveled. They talked quietly to each other so Miroku wouldn't hear. He ignored them, but looked up at them strangely when they had burst into laughter a few times.

They had stopped for the evening after the sun had began to set. "So which one has prettier hair?" Sango asked Kagome as they set up camp and Miroku went out to gather firewood.

"I don't know? They both have pretty hair. Inuyasha's hair is so soft and his color is so different from what I've seen. But Naraku's hair is just as soft, but it's also so curly." Both girls sighed. "It's so unnatural for males to have prettier hair than females." Kagome sighed again.

"You know ho has the most beautiful hair though?" Kagome asked in a whisper.

"Who?" Sango asked getting closer.

"Sesshomaru." They giggled.

"So you really think my hair is beautiful?" A silky voice reached their ears. They shrieked and jumped up and apart from each other to face the demon lord who snuck up on them. They both panted and looked at him with wide eyes. "I see that gossiping deters your concentration to other things instead of remaining alert for an attack. Although I do not blame you for wanting to talk about my hair." A bit of prideful boasting entered his voice. Just a little.

Not long after Miroku came crashing into the clearing dropping what wood he had collected to grab up his staff. "Oh." Miroku said relaxing from his battle stance once he realized the girls weren't in danger. "Sorry. I'll go get more wood." Miroku grinned before leaving again. Kagome and Sango sweat dropped. The two girls returned their attention to Sesshomaru.

"So why are you here?" Kagome asked.

"These _are_ my lands."

"Oh. That's right."

"What she meant was what brings you to our group?" Sango helped.

"I brought someone to meet you girls once I felt you enter my lands. She wanted to see Kagome again."

(A/N: I don't really remember if there is a specific spot where this fic is placed so we'll pretend that Rin and Kagome have already met)

"Kagome-chan!" A little girl's voice shouted coming from behind the tall lord. Soon after, a little girl in a cream and orange checkered kimono with a side pony tail ran into the clearing. The little girl jumped into the outstretched arms of Kagome and they twirled around laughing.

"My, my Rin. It feels like you've grown." She said shifting the girl to her hip of her uninjured side.

"Yes I have! And Rin has lost two teeth! See!" The little girl exclaimed baring her teeth in a huge grin.

"I see. What did you do with your teeth?"

"I carry them around with me in this little purse Sesshomaru-sama gave to me." The little girl pulled a little green satin-like pouch from her sash.

"I'm glad you did Rin-chan. After we're done making dinner and setting up camp, I'll tell you a story about teeth. Ok?"

"Ok." Rin smiled as Kagome set her down.

Camp was set up in no time and Kagome began cooking too. "What's that, Kagome?" Rin asked peering into the pot over Kagome's shoulder.

"It's ramen. It's really good. It's almost done." Soon she was pouring the broth and noodles into bowls handing the first bowl to Rin. A pang of sadness crossed her heart as she watched the little girl eat. It reminded her of Shippou, but it quickly went away as she continued to serve dinner. "Would you like to try some?" Kagome offered a bowl to Sesshomaru.

"You should try it Lord Sesshomaru. It's really good." Rin added. The taiyoukai took the bowl and chopsticks from Kagome and began to eat. He nodded his gratitude after his first try.

After they had settled down after cleaning up dinner, Kagome tucked Rin into her sleeping bag between herself and Sango. Not knowing whether there was such a thing as a tooth fairy in Sengoku Jidai, Kagome began with a question. "Have you ever heard of the tooth fairy?"

"No, but Jaken told me there's a youkai spirit who steals the teeth of human children who don't behave. I don't want him to steal my teeth. So I've been extra good."

"Well, the tooth fairy is different. She's like a tiny sprite. She's really pretty, wears a tiny crown, carries a magic wand around, and flies. She's really nice and sweet."

"I bet she looks like you Kagome because you're pretty and nice and sweet." Rin interjected. Kagome giggled.

"No, I'm pretty sure the tooth fairy is prettier than me."

"I don't think anyone can be prettier than you Kagome-chan."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you Rin-chan. You're such an adorable little girl."

"So what does the tooth fairy do?"

"Well, if you continue to be a good little girl and go to sleep when you're told to and place your teeth under your pillow, she'll leave you a nice treat."

"Really?"

"Yep." Rin beamed and hopped about excited.

"The tooth fairy is going to leave me a present!" She chanted dancing around Kagome. Kagome laughed.

"You need to be asleep first or she won't come."

"But I'm so excited. Will you tell me a story?"

"Of course." Kagome said tucking her in. She told her the story of Goldilocks and the three bear youkai. (A/N: Just think of the story with youkai, rice, and a happy ending where Goldilocks and the baby bear become best friends. If you want me to write out the little story, then just ask and I'll add it to the chapter, but I'm pretty sure you can imagine what it would sound like).

Rin and Sango were fast asleep by the end of her story. Miroku and Sesshomaru were still awake. Kagome waited a little longer before getting up to look through her bag.

"What're you looking for?" Miroku asked.

"Shippou's candy supply. I'm sure he won't mind."

"What do you need with that/'

"I'm putting it under her pillow."

"But isn't that the tooth fairy's job?"

"The tooth fairy is made up. It's a type of tradition because losing your baby teeth means you're growing up. My mom did it to me and my brother. We got money instead of candy though. But I think there's something else I can give her as well as candy." She began pulling things out of the bag to find it. "Here it is." Kagome smiled.

"It looks like a fox." Miroku stated.

"It's Shippou's dad." Kagome said quietly. "I made it with the help of my mom and a picture Shippou had drawn before." A tear drop splashed onto her hand. She hadn't noticed, but Miroku did.

"We all miss him." He said patting her shoulder. Kagome nodded wiping away the rest of her tears. She quietly snuck the candy and stuffed animal under Rin's pillow after taking out the teeth and putting the pouch back. Kagome put the teeth in her yellow backpack after putting them into a little jewelry box she had absently thrown in there and discovered looking for the toy. After returning everything to her bag, she laid down next to the little girl and fell asleep. Sesshomaru silently watched not too far away.

"Wake up everyone!" Rin shouted waking everyone. She even managed to startle Sesshomaru from a light snooze. "Wake up and see what the tooth fairy left me!" She was so excited. She danced around with her new treasures. The tow fox held in one arm and a little bag of candy in the other. When everyone gathered around she held them out for all to see. "I don't know what these are, but they have pretty colors."

"They're candy Rin-chan. They're sweets. But you can't have any until after breakfast. Ok?" The little girl pouted, but skipped around the clearing trying to decide which one she wanted to try first.

Kagome groaned realizing it was the crack of dawn and then proceeded to make breakfast. No, not ramen, but a type of rice porridge that Kaeda taught her how to make. (A/N: I would like to believe they eat other things besides ramen, potato chips, and candy while traveling).

Breakfast went by quickly and camp was packed up just as fast. After a short ride on Kirara, Rin wanted to try riding on the weird thing that Miroku was riding on. Too big to sit in the basket, they took the bag off the back of the bike and let her sit on it holding onto Miroku's robes. She was currently sucking on a hard strawberry flavored candy that had a stick coming from it. "Are you enjoying the ride, Rin?" Miroku asked over his shoulder.

"Hai!" She shouted. "Go faster!" And they did.

"Be careful Miroku!" Kagome called. They slowed down though when the road became windier.

"I'll trade you something for a candy." Miroku offered Rin.

"What would you like to trade?" She asked.

"Well, it just so happens that I have a few pretty trinkets. I'm sure you would love to choose from." Miroku said searching deep into the sleeves and folds of his robes. In minutes, he produced a few pretty hair combs and a few bracelets of varying size, shape, color, and price.

"Pick any one you want." Rin looked at them all with fascinated interest. There was a comb made out of gold with the shapes of birds imprinted into the metal and a comb made out of wood that was painted yellow and green. There was another comb made out of ivory with pink jeweled sakura blossoms decorating it that Rin really liked. There were bracelets made out of jade, wood, and stone. She ran a finger over the beads of a bracelet made of pretty pink stone. She was even more attracted to this than the comb she liked.

"I like this bracelet, Miroku-san." Rin said picking it up. Miroku nodded with a smile.

"It's yours. Now may I please pick a piece of candy to trade?" Rin nodded as she handed him the bag. Sango and Kagome were sitting close by looking at the little treasures Miroku pulled out.

"I really like that ivory comb with the sakura blossoms." Sango told Kagome quietly.

"I like that comb too, but I think I'd rather have a bracelet like Rin. He has one made with dark blue beads." Kagome said back to her. The bracelets reminded her of the jade bracelet that Naraku had given to her earlier. She had left it at home afraid she would lose it.

Even though Miroku was somewhat busy looking for what he wanted in Rin's candy bag, he still overheard the girls. He softly chuckled. After finding what he wanted, he pouted. There was only one and he didn't want to deny Rin the joy of chocolate if she only had one candy bar. Thinking quickly, he gathered the combs and bracelets. He put them away except for the comb and bracelet that Sango and Kagome had picked out. He picked out a lollipop instead that the bag had at least two more of that he saw and returned the rest of the candy to Rin.

"What're you going to do with those?" Rin asked pointing at the ivory comb and dark blue bracelet.

"I'm going to trade with Sango and Kagome now." He said walking towards the girls.

"I'll trade you chocolate for the bracelet, Kagome." Kagome smiled before turning to her bag to find what he asked for. Sango looked a little depressed that she had nothing to trade for the comb. Miroku took her hand and placed the comb in her palm. "It's yours if you give me another kiss." He whispered into her ear. She blushed.

"Not now, ok? Later." Sango said with a squeak while pushing him away.

"Alright, but you're lucky you mean so much to me or I'd take back the comb." He said with a little laugh. Before Sango could answer, Kagome had found the chocolate and was exchanging it for the bracelet.

Sesshomaru would have rolled his eyes.

Rin showed him her new bracelet. He only nodded his head and the little girl skipped to play a little.

* * *

"Where have you been, Kikyou?" The said woman stopped from her long strides to turn towards the speaker. 

"Away." Was her single answer.

"I don't blame you. Everyone wants revenge. What I don't know, Kikyou, is why you would kill an innocent child." He leaned against a tree in her line of vision after she turned completely around to face him.

"I'm a miko, Inuyasha. It's my duty to purify demons regardless of age. He was interfering."

"Then why am I still alive? Why haven't you killed met yet, Kikyou?" She narrowed her eyes.

"You know why." She answered.

"No, I don't Kikyou. If you're referring to the feelings you had for me in the past it's a lie because the Kikyou I fell in love with would never kill an innocent child. Demon or not. You're not Kikyou. You're not _my _Kikyou." They stood staring at each other as Inuyasha's words continued to hang in the air. Kikyou was the first to look away.

"You're right but wrong Inuyasha. I am Kikyou, but I'm not the same Kikyou. This body remains here out of my hatred for you and the souls of other young girls. I am incapable of feeling anything but anger and hatred. To love and to laugh is death for me. I am not going until Naraku is dead and you go to hell with me."

A/N: It's been a long long long time since I updated. I either got writer's block or I forgot where I was going with the fic or I got too busy with school. But here it is… sorry for the long wait… hopefully I can get out another chapter before two months have passed because I am on winter break… I will try, but there are no guarantees… thanks for reading


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